“It is all easy and simple,” Appa explained for the third time. “All you should do is take some interest.”

Rishi held the pencil between his fingers and played with it. Yesterday, Appa had suggested he mark the Sanskrit shlokas sheet with lines for the correct pronunciation. But every day was a drag and when the syllables hopped on Rishi’s palate, they did a salsa. Why couldn’t his parents be like Varun’s, who didn’t get into all this thing about customs and traditions?

“Kanna!” Appa tried pet-names to persuade Rishi into learning. “All I am saying is try. Daily. Just ten minutes. That’s all it takes. You know, when I was your age…”

“Oh! Appa…please don’t start. I have heard this story over a thousand times.”

“OK. So I won’t tell you how I learnt it easily. Just one last time for today. Let’s try…Om Bhur….”

“Can I ask why you love this thing so much? You are like almost obsessed with it. You chant this every day. Morning and evening! And now you want me to do it too? I mean, why?”

“It is not an obsession, son. And I am only trying to ….”

“Forget I asked. Om Bhur…”

“Maybe we can try this without fiddling with that pencil and focus on the pronunciation?” 

“OK. Fine.” He slammed the pencil down on the table and slouched.

“Kanna. Sit straight and stop swinging your legs. Focus.” 

“Arghh!”

“Repeat after me. Om..”

A familiar music drifted into the room. 

“Now who switched on the TV? Hey. Reduce the volume, will you?”

“Appa. Can I quickly go check the score and come back?” Rishi scrunched his face as if every ounce of joy had been squeezed out. “Please?”

Nobody could say no to that face. Appa rolled his eyes.

“OK. Be quick.”

“Yay!” Rishi fist bumped. “I will be quick.” He almost flew to the living room.

“Appa…. India is playing well…. maybe we should watch the match.” Rishi screamed over the DTS speakers.

Appa strode in and, in one swift movement, muted the volume.

“Rishi, we can watch the final overs, and it will still be fine. Come now. For a ten-minute job, we have been sitting here for the past half an hour. Why don’t we be quick? I also have to take a call in a few minutes.”

“So, why don’t you take the call, and we can do this after that?”

“Rishi!”

“OK. Chill. I am coming. Let me start. Om Bhur…”

"Bhuvasuvaha..." 

“Appa, when did you say you learned this?”

“Rishi, I thought you knew the entire story, and you have heard this over a thousand times.” 

“I have…” He chuckled. “But still, I like to hear it again.”

“I was only 7 years old!”

“I think your parents were cruel. It is almost child harassment.“

“You mean, learning this shlokam is child harassment?”

“I mean, imagine making poor young kids say these tough words!”

“Son…. why don’t we focus?”

“I hope you won’t ask me to chant daily, morning and evening, like you do. That will be like worse than math homework.”

“Rishi. I think you are being a bit dramatic here. Why not simply repeat after me? Om Bhur Bhuva…”

“OK. Om Bhur…Appa, but I think you should also teach me the meaning. That way, I will know it really well. I can also remember it. Like you say for my science and math lessons, I should understand before I learn anything. So what does the shlokam mean? Is there like a story for this?”

“Really Rishi? Now you want to know the meaning? You kids!” Appa sighs. “Well, it is only two lines. So, why not say it once and then I can give you the meaning?”

“That’s also a good plan.” Rishi lifted his shoulders.

“So…start.”

“Ok. Om Bhur … “

“Rishi….”

“Now what is it?” Appa’s eyes darted towards the door.

“Hey!” Varun walked in, bouncing a basketball.

“Appa…” Rishi blinked, and his lips jutted out.

“I know Rishi. Can’t Varun wait?”

“Dude, aren’t you coming to play?” Varun continued to bounce while marching towards them.

“Please…” Rishi’s eyes couldn’t get any smaller.

“Alright. Go…but when you come back….”

“Appa…I won’t disappoint. I promise. I will learn this quick…”

“Rishi…. Come now. We are already late. Dude..”

“Yes. Yes. I am coming. Wait. Let me grab my shoes.” Rishi jumped and almost somersaulted to the shoe rack.

“Look at the energy you have for this. But for shlokams you don’t have time, or energy…” Appa shook his head.

“No Appa. You wait and watch. I am going to master it like how you did when you were what 7 or 8 or whatever age…”

“And I thought…”

“Thank you Appa.” Rishi’s face was bright, like a 100-watt bulb.

“Appa, today I learnt, Om Bhur…tomorrow let us start from bhwaswa.”

“Bhuva... forget it. From the looks of it, I think I will be eighty by the time you learn it.”

“Dude, C’mmon man!” Varun hovered around like a helicopter.

“Bye Appa. Love you.”

“Have fun!” Appa waved with a smile. "But worth it!"