Some six years ago, on a sweltering summer noon, I stepped into a store scouting for soft cotton fabrics for sleeveless nighties. That was how I was introduced to this Jain couple, Manju and Siddharth, proprietors of Maxx Daga’s. By sheer serendipity, I had sighted this shop, which stockpiled several things under a single roof. The panoply of sari blouses, the splendid section of sundry style accessories, the cornucopia collection of cool inner wears — all had instantly captivated my fancy.
The shop seemed to enjoy a strong clientele base, with people from far-flung areas patronising this store, thanks to the phenomenal patience, pleasing demeanour and polite disposition of the couple. This apart, the affordable price tags had obviated the need to dicker for prices here.
Slowly, our business relationship metamorphosed into friendship, with Manju serving me scrumptious homemade snacks and savouries along with steaming hot tea during my social visits to the store. I began admiring the abundant goodness in this couple, believing in absolute integrity, be it in their personal or professional life.
On November 2, 2014, Siddharth was returning at 11 pm from a holiday jaunt in Chikkamagaluru with four of his male relatives. While on the Yeshwanthpur highway, a private bus zipping from the opposite direction (luckily, with only driver on board) lurched and leapt over the two-foot median, to land on Sid’s moving vehicle!
The impact was so immense that the life of Sid’s brother-in-law, sitting beside him, was instantly snuffed out. While other men suffered major fractures to their limbs, Sid sustained a massive head injury. Blood was oozing out, unimpeded, like water gushing out of garden sprinklers. The first miracle was that an ambulance driver, fortuitously in the vicinity, was enjoying his tea at roadside eatery. Beholding the blood-curdling mishap, he rushed the victims to the nearest hospital.
Over there, the neurosurgeon was inaccessible at that unearthly hour. So, an on-duty plastic surgeon, after pertinacious pleading by Sid’s family, was persuaded into taking up the case. Lo! The second miracle happened. After marathon surgical procedures, involving 22 stitches, the bleeding was successfully controlled.
When other doctors had maintained that the major head injury may have lowered survival chances by 99% (with the possibility of eternal memory loss, in case of survival), here was Sid, speaking normally the next day itself upon regaining consciousness! That was the third miracle.
Sid, who, among other men, had supposedly suffered maximum injury with major head gash, had miraculously recovered within the minimum timespan of two months. Thus proving, beyond doubt, human goodness does reign supreme on charts of “divine protection”!
