Divali celebrations (Festival of lights = "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance" were underway in the town. The night sky was ablaze with fireworks, and the air was filled with the scent of sweets and the sound of laughter. The streets were adorned with vibrant rangoli patterns, and every house was lit with a myriad of lights, from traditional clay lamps to colorful electric bulbs. People exchanged gifts and celebrated the triumph of virtue over evil with joyous fervor. The town was a kaleidoscope of colors, with children running around in new clothes, their faces lit up with excitement, and vendors shouting out their wares amidst the festive chaos.
Bosco stayed home with his team—Ramduth the monkey, Biscuit the dog, and Malini the cat—and spent the holidays in a quiet manner. Despite the festive atmosphere, he preferred the tranquility of his home. The soft glow of oil lamps cast a warm light inside his house, creating a serene contrast to the bustling streets outside. Meanwhile, Sudhan and his minions roamed the town, bursting crackers, picking fights, and starting small fires with their reckless use of fireworks. Homeowners scrambled to put out the fires, cursing the troublemakers under their breath. The crackling of fireworks and the occasional shouts of anger added a layer of tension to the otherwise joyous night.
The situation escalated when they broke into Bosco’s house, dragging him out and taunting him to fight. About ten of Sudhan’s buddies surrounded him, poking him with arrows, their laughter ringing out like a sinister chorus. Sudhan stood apart, a smirk on his face, encouraging them further. The neighbors, drawn by the commotion, pleaded with the ruffians to stop, but their words fell on deaf ears. The moonlight cast a silver glow on the scene, highlighting the tension and the stark contrast between Bosco’s calm demeanor and the aggressiveness of his attackers.
Bosco understood these men. They wanted Bosco to overreact to them and thus earn a bad reputation. Bosco sat in the middle of the street and took his meditative body position. Every time they plunged the fiery arrows into him, the arrows turned into sprigs of Tulsi leaves and flowers (Sweet Holy Basil). That amounted to sacred offerings of Tulsi leaves to Lord Venkateshwara. The transformation of the arrows into sacred offerings added a mystical aura to the scene, leaving the onlookers in awe.
The ten ruffians continued their onslaught. Bosco cloned himself ten times for each one of Sudhan’s underlings and surrounded them. The Avatars of Bosco spun around each ruffian so fast each one of them felt dizzy and drunk. They all gave up soon. The spinning avatars created a whirlwind of motion, a blur of speed and precision that left the ruffians disoriented and defeated.
Sudhan came along with his superior fighting skills and an impressive physique. To the onlookers, it was no match. Flexing his muscles and roaring like a lion, he attacked Bosco. Bosco dodged his moves several times that Sudhan fell like a falling tree. He picked up himself and now with spears attacked Bosco. He went too far. Bosco wanted not to hurt him and so applied moderate pressure on Marma (vulnerable points of the body) points on his body. Sudhan collapsed. His underlings revived him and took off forthwith. The clash between Sudhan and Bosco was like a battle of titans, each move calculated and precise, the tension palpable in the air.
Humbled and defeated, Sudhan and his ten underlings went home, took the needed rest, and had a long discussion among themselves. They came to their senses and, with newfound respect, went to Bosco, begging for his forgiveness and even offering to join him. The transformation of Sudhan and his gang from adversaries to allies added a hopeful note to the story, a testament to Bosco’s wisdom and restraint.