A trek and a lesson

In a small village tucked away in the dusty plains of Rajasthan lived a boy named Kavi.

Kavi was fast, smart, and stronger than most, but he had one major flaw: he was incredibly arrogant.

He believed that because he was talented, he didn't need to help anyone else.

The Trek to the Hill Temple

Every year, the villagers made a pilgrimage to a temple at the top of a steep, rocky hill to pray for the monsoon rains. The path was narrow, filled with loose stones and thorny shrubs.

"I’ll be at the top before any of you even finish your first bottle of water!" Kavi mocked, tightening his sandals.

He sprinted ahead, leaving the elders and the smaller children behind. He wanted to be the first to ring the temple bell, believing the gods would favor the swiftest.

The Scary Turn

Halfway up, the sun began to set, casting long, eerie shadows behind the boulders.

Suddenly, the wind picked up, howling through the narrow passes like a hungry animal. Kavi, in his rush to stay ahead, took a shortcut through a dried-up stream bed.

His foot slipped on a patch of wet moss. CRACK.

Kavi tumbled down a small embankment, landing hard in a shallow ravine. His ankle throbbed with a sharp, biting pain. He tried to stand, but his leg buckled. As the sky turned a bruised purple, he realized he was trapped in the dark. He heard the rustle of a leopard in the brush nearby and the hoot of an owl that sounded like a warning. For the first time, the "mighty" Kavi was terrified.

The Lesson in the Dark

He sat in the shadows for what felt like hours, his arrogance replaced by a cold fear. Then, he saw it—the flickering glow of oil lamps (diyas).

The villagers weren't rushing. They were moving together in a slow, steady line, holding torches high to light the way for one another. They weren't looking for a winner; they were looking for him.

"Kavi! Where are you?" called out Old Man Ravi, the slowest person in the village, whom Kavi had teased that morning.

"I'm here!" Kavi shouted, his voice trembling.

The villagers gathered around him. They didn't scold him. Instead, two young men formed a "seat" with their arms to carry him, while others shared their water and wrapped his ankle.

They reached the temple together, long after the stars had come out. Kavi didn't ring the bell alone. He held the rope, but he waited for the others. Together, they pulled, and the deep, bronze chime echoed across the valley.

As the first drops of rain began to fall—the monsoon had arrived—Kavi realized a truth he would never forget: "Speed may get you there first, but community ensures you get there safe."

The Value: Humility and the importance of community over individual ego.