Umbrella

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There was a big village and people across different sections of the society used to live there. If someone is a businessman, someone is a farmer and someone is a teacher and so on. The complete requirement of the society was fulfilled by the diverse sections among the people. There used to be a village head and the person used to guide people in any situation good or bad, whatever.

In old times, people used to have umbrella made out of palm leaves. Then the development happened and umbrellas were made out of cloth. Everyone in the village had their individual umbrellas with them or at least one per family. During rainy season, all used to use their own umbrellas.

During one rainy season, a massive flood happened. People had to leave their houses and move to a nearby mountain. And there, they used their own umbrellas to avoid the rains. After everything got settled, a thought came to the mind of the village head. He called for a panchayat meeting and asked the people to donate cloths from their umbrellas so that a big Umbrella can be made. Those who had multiple umbrellas, they donated but those who had only one, they were in trouble. But still, for the sake of unity, they tore off some cloth from the umbrella and donated.

Next year, it is the time of rainy season again. People having more number of umbrellas were on safer side. But those who tore off cloth from their lone umbrellas had and donated, were in trouble. Somehow they managed but the resentment was there. Flood time again. They had to leave the houses and move to the nearby mountain. Now they had to use the bigger umbrella. The village head stood at the centre, the next powerful people in the next circle and then others. But the bigger umbrella could not cover all people. Some people had to stand outside and they were those who tore off the cloth and donated. Then they complained to the village head who was standing in the middle under the umbrella. There was no reply from him. The people in the next circle (the powerful ones) replied “What do you all think? We donated one full umbrella and then only this big one is made. What did you donate, only a small piece of cloth and you want equal rights?”. The poor fellows felt deserted. But there was no other go and they didn’t want to argue with those people(in better condition). They just managed with the torn-off umbrella they had.

After sometime, some people from other places forcefully entered the village and stayed there. The village people had clashes with the outsiders as well. After sometime, the outsiders came to know about the umbrella-issue and tactfully gave some umbrella to the poor ones and took them to their side. Though the village head was aware about this, he remained silent.

Next year, Rainy season and flood time again and people moved to the mountain as an yearly practice. But there two groups now, one the “villagers” and the other one of the “outsiders”. The village head opened the common-umbrella and people stood under it like last time (some people could not be covered under the umbrella). Then, those left-out people used the umbrella gifted by the outsiders and started moving towards them. Looking at this, the village head and the next level people got angry and scolded like “Traitors etc etc etc” to the ones who were leaving the village mainstream.

Then those left-outs replied to the village head, “When you can’t save all of us from rain with the bigger umbrella, what was the point in making that umbrella? When we don’t get the benefit, what was the point in taking the cloth from us?. If you want us to stay with you, then give us equal rights to the “UMBRELLA” for which we donated!…”.

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