A Fire That Lit My Faith

It was Holi and I had planned a celebration in the evening with friends. But when I returned home after work I saw a fire engine standing in front of my house. All my neighbours had gathered at the spot. As I climbed the stairs, I saw that the door was broken open and the house was covered with water, sand and ash.

Firemen told me that the fire was due to leaking gas cylinder and high phosphorous content in the air. There was no major damage because it was detected early. I thanked God that there was no damage to life or to any important thing. My entire evening and night went in dusting and mopping.
Even after that, the house looked abandoned. I went into my room and sat near Guruji’s chair (a chair that I have kept for Guruji, with His photo on it & peacock feathers behind the photo). I started complaining that my entire evening was spoiled and that I didn’t want this to happen on Holi. My mind was filled with doubts and disappointment.

Suddenly, my doorbell rang. It was my landlady. She asked if everything is set right and told that it is nothing but a miracle that we are saved from the otherwise deadly fire hazard. She then explained to me the course of happenings before I entered the house that evening.

My landlady, who always returns from work after 8 pm, had returned home at 3 pm that day. Within 5 minutes, a fire was discovered followed by a bursting sound. Firemen were called. They reached in no time. Coincidentally there was an electrician at the doorstep who put off the fuse. A neighbour unscrewed the door lock and the door was opened without any effort.

My landlady rushed into each room to check if something important has caught fire. And when she opened the door of my room, she could see Guruji on the chair gesturing that He is taking care of everything. Automatically she had bowed down to Him and the fire was put down in minutes. Miraculously, all the important things which were on the way were untouched by fire.

She said that she felt His presence and there was no second thought that He was the one to save us all that day. My eyes were filled with tears of gratitude and a strong faith bloomed from within. I ran to my room and realized that the beautiful pink silk cloth which I had put on Guruji’s chair had folded back and had been covering the peacock feathers all this time during the fire, protecting them from burning. This way Guruji had preserved even the petty peacock feathers which I had offered with love.

“Kaam-dahan” (Burning of Manmatha) is a ritual followed on Holi in many places. My heart was sanctified by this “sanshay-dahan” (burning of doubts) and Holi was a perfect day chosen by Him for it.

JGD
Sowmya