In the village of Bhavpura, two widows, Moti Malin and Kumkum Kumbhar live next to each other. Moti Malin earns her living by selling the flowers and fruits that grow in her garden.
She has no savings at all. But Moti Malin has immense faith in God. She chants or sings bhajans softly when she works in her garden, does not regret her past or worry about her future and sleeps contentedly every day.
Kumkum Kumbhar on the other hand is rich beyond measure. But she keeps cribbing about her fate, feels very insecure and spends sleepless nights every day worrying about who will take care of her if she falls sick in the future.
She becomes miserly, bickers with everyone over petty matters and is reluctant to learn the art of making and baking pots. Kumkum Kumbhar does not know what to do with the unbaked pots that her husband had planned to bake and sell in the market. And feels she is wasting her money taking care of their donkey now.
The other women of Bhavpura talk endlessly about her strange behaviour, wondering if she will ever change her ways and avoid her company. Moti Malin feels like helping Kumkum Kumbhar overcome her fears but has no time to do so.
A couple of years later, Moti Malin decides to follow as many rituals as she can during the Purushotham Maas. She knows this is the right time to help Kumkum Kumbhar too. So she goes to Kumkum Kumbhar’s house and tells her, “Kumkum, would you like to observe a few rituals during the Purushotham Maas? You can accompany me to the river every day early in the morning. We will have our bath in the river together, perform the rituals and do a bit of charity every day before we begin our day.”
Kumkum Kumbhar brusquely says, “I’m not too sure about all this, Moti Malin. Let me think about it. Call me when you go to the river early tomorrow morning. If I want to perform some rituals I will accompany you else you can go by yourself.”
Kumkum Kumbhar has something new to worry about that night. She tosses and turns in her bed and wonders, “I will have to spend quite a bit on buying fruits, flowers and pooja material. And then I have to do a bit of charity too. And after 30 days I will have to feed a Brahmin and donate something too. This is too big an expense for no reason at all.
But what will the village women say if I don’t do any of this. As it is they avoid talking with me. If I don’t do what they all do, they will gossip endlessly about me. Who knows they may even stop talking with me. Then who will help me if I fall sick in future.” She thinks for a long while and comes up with a brilliant plan to circumvent all her problems.
So Kumkum Kumbhar accompanies Moti Malin to the riverside every day during the Purushotham Maas. Moti Malin and the other women offer a few flowers to Purushotham Bhagawan and a fruit or two every day to a Brahmin. They could not afford anything beyond that.
But Moti Malin proudly carries one unbaked pot with her, donates it to one Brahmin every day and feels she has done enough to impress the village women. Moti Malin, the other villagers and even the Brahmins prefer not to discuss her deeds. They have all given up on her. And none of them wants to bicker with her during the Purushotham Maas. At all.
Moti Malin is the only one who has hope. She knows that Kumkum Kumbhar can overcome all her fears if she nurtures some faith at least. Moti Malin sincerely believes that even if Kumkum Kumbhar performs one small ritual with absolute faith during the Purushotham Maas she will make some spiritual progress.
29 days pass but Moti Malin does not find even the slightest change in Kumkum Kumbhar’s behaviour. Often Kumkum Kumbhar’s unbaked pots broke even before she gave them to the Brahmins. But she would shrug her shoulders and justify her stance saying, “Even the finest of pots are not written in the poor fellow’s destiny. What can anyone do about such things?”
Kumkum Kumbhar then looks at Moti Malin and says, “Finally the Purushotham Maas will end tomorrow. I will give a fistful of broken rice, wheat flour and a sliver of ghee to a Brahmin tomorrow and give away our donkey to him. It has become very old and I will be spared the expense of feeding him too.
I wish you were as clever as me Moti Malin. You wouldn’t have to work from dawn to dusk every day if you were like me, you know. Anyway, I know you will never change your ways. But tell me. I’m curious. What are your plans for tomorrow? I’m sure you cannot be as charitable as I am. But I would like to know anyway.”
Moti Malin smiles gently at Kumkum Kumbhar and says, “I’ll follow my usual routine Kumkum. I’ll sell the flowers and fruits that grow in my garden tomorrow too. If possible I will feed a Brahmin. Else I will do whatever little charity I can from what I earn.”
Kumkum Kumbhar invites a Brahmin home the next day morning itself. She gives him the provisions that she had set aside for him, gives away the donkey to him and feels immensely relieved when the entire rigmarole of the Purushotham Maas is done.
Moti Malin on the other hand is pleasantly surprised to see her garden brimming with extremely fragrant flowers and fruits the next day. She is even more surprised when her customers willingly buy her flowers and fruits for double the price. She returns home early that day with enough money to feed a Brahmin. So Moti Malin prepares a wholesome meal with a couple of simple delicacies and calls a Brahmin home for dinner.
The Brahmin eats the meal with relish. He accepts the basket of fruits that Moti Malin gives her gracefully and says, “O Moti Malin, I can understand the nobility of your intention. You were the only one who could look beyond the fears and insecurities of Kumkum Kumbhar. And you were the only one who intuitively knew that faith alone can help us overcome all our fears.
But remember O Moti Malin. Faith is an extremely personal journey. And each one embarks on their faith based journey at a different pace. Kumkum Kumbhar is not yet ready to take the journey. Someday, if not in this life – in her next life – or the next one – she will realize this on her own. And that is when she will turn over a new leaf. So don’t fret over her. Let’s pray instead that she realizes all this in this life itself.”
Moti Malin is very surprised to hear this but realizes the truth of the Brahmin’s words. Moti Malin had done her bit for Kumkum Kumbhar. It was time now to leave it at that.
Moti Malin sleeps blissfully that night too. As usual. And Kumkum Kumbhar spends yet another night sleeplessly wondering if she has done something wrong by giving away her unbaked pots and old donkey in charity. 