The Car Festival

The day of the car festival was drawing near. So the queen said to the king,"What about having a look at the chariot?" The King said,"Yes, Let us go." Out came the horses from the stables and then the elephants; Peacock-winged palanquins proceeded in a row, and then came the lined up soldiers and sentinels with spearsin their hands. Servants and maid-servants followed in groups behind them. There was only one person who stayed behind. His job was to choose broomsticks for the palace. The headman came and asked him kindly,"What about you? Wouldn't you like to come too?" Humbly he excused himself saying,"No, I don't think I can go." The news came to the ears of the king that all had accoompanied him except the one poor wretched man. The King took pity on him and said to his minister,"Give him a call as we pass by." He lived by the wayside. When the elephant arrived there, the minister called out to him."O, you unfortunate one, come and join us to see the deity in the car."

With folded hands he replied,"How could I go so far? Have I even the power to reach up to His doorsteps?"
The minister replied," Why should you be afraid, you will go with the king?"
He answered,"That's dangerous! Can such a king's path ever be mine?"
The minister asked,"What hope have you then for your future? How will you ever have the chance of seeing His chariot?"
He answered," I think I will- God comes to my door in His chariot."
The minister laughed and said,"I see no marks of His chariot anywhere near the door!"
The pitiable one replied,"His chariot leaves no marks behind."
The minister asked,"How could that be?"
The wretched one replied," He comes in His flower chariot."
Minister asked," But where is His chariot?"

The poor unfortunate one pointed out to the two flowers which were in full bloom on either side of his door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ This story is written by Shri Rabindranath Tagore.