Mental Health

Mental Health

Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour. In the field of mental health, clinicians are concerned with disturbed behaviour, it's severity and duration amongst patients, and look for indications of diagnosis, treatment and follow up. At one extreme are the greatly and visibly disturbed people, once called 'insane', 'mad' or 'lunatic', and now called the 'psychotic'. At the other end are the unhappy people, unable to cope effectively with life demands, either over long periods or in brief, stress-related episodes. Against  standards of mental health or normality these are all described as forms of mental disorder or psychopathology.

☆  NORMALITY  ☆

Concept of normality is difficult to explains over a period of time this concept has been changing. Traditionally it was conceptualised as the person's adjustment to his environment. But now it is termed as 'adaptability'. The concept of normality focuses more on positive attributes such as individuality, creativity and self-fulfilment.

Psychological normality has most often been defined either as an average, an ideal, or a level of adjustment. Normality as an average is a statistical definition that identifies the typical or most common behaviours among a group of people as being normal for that group.

Identifying some large middle percentage of a group of persons as showing normal behaviour has the benefit of providing a precise criterion for deciding whom to consider abnormal, namely those who fall outside this middle range. Attention to typical patterns of behaviour also promotes cultural sensitivity.

Cultural sensitivity in this regard consists of recognising that 'normal' for a person depends in part on the attitudes and behaviour patterns that are valued in the groups to which the person belongs. Being aware of normality in terms of customs, traditions, and expectations, an abnormal behaviour in a person may be even considered normal (e.g. possession syndrome) in that person's sociocultural context. Such behaviours in another culture may be considered abnormal and may require treatment.

Normality as an ideal is difficult concept to apply.

○ Level of adjustment as normality : Level of adjustment as a criterion for normality refers to whether people can cope reasonably well with experiences in life, particularly with respect to being able to establish enjoyable interpersonal relationships and work constructively towards self fulfilment goals.

○ Reality testing as normality : Normal persons are able to perceive, interpret and react to what is going on in the world around them in a realistic manner. They appraise themselves in a realistic manner, neither overestimate nor underestimate themselves. They do not misunderstand what others say and do and are able to analyse situations critically.

○ Behaviour control as normality : Normal persons feel in control and are confident in themselves regarding controlling and directing their behaviour. They are able to control their aggressive and sexual impulses.

○ Self worth as normality : Normal individuals are able to appreciate their own self worth and feel accepted by society. They are comfortable in their social relationships and are able to accept and listen to differences of opinion and if they are convinced ready to change their own views also.

○ Self awareness as normality : Even if normal persons do not fully understand their feelings and behaviour yet they do have some awareness of their feelings and motives. Important motives and feelings may be suppressed or hidden from oneself and normal persons would be aware of their feelings and emotions and know the motivation behind their behaviour.

○ Social relationships as normality : Normal individuals are able to form and maintain close, long term and healthy relationships with other people. They do not manipulate or use relationships to their own advantage and are also sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. They are able to reciprocate and provide comfort and affection to people close to them.

○ Effective functioning : Normal people are enthusiastic about life and use their skills and abilities in productive and creative manner. They are able to meet demands of daily life without any need for external force or pressure.

☆  ABNORMALITY  ☆

If we define normality by the above said perspectives, then the opposite of these should mean abnormality. However such statement could be only partly true. Absence of these certainly leads to maladjustment with self and society and also to certain psychological problems.

○ Statistical Infrequency : Under this definition, a person's trait, thinking or behaviour is classified as abnormal if it is rare or statistically unusual.

○ Violation of Social Norms : Under this, a person's thinking or behaviour is classified as abnormal if it violates the (unwritten) rules about what is expected or acceptable behaviour in a particular social group. Their behaviour may be confusing to others or make others feel threatened or uncomfortable.

○ Maladaptive Behaviour : Maladaptive Behaviours may be thought of as those that cause difficulties, or are counterproductive, for the individual or for others. The repetitive hand washing in obsessive compulsive disorder could be regarded as maladaptive, particularly if it leads to sores or other skin damage. The self-starvation of a patient with severe anorexia nervosa, which sometimes leads to death, would be second example.

○ Personal Distress : Many patients with mental illness experience pronounced personal suffering. For example, patients with severe depression often describe feelings of anguish in addition to misery. Others express their distress in terms of physical complaints and may even visit their doctor believing that they are physically unwell. However, the subjective experience of the patient is not always a reliable indicator of illness, as some do not themselves acknowledge that they are ill.

○ Failure to Function Adequately : Under this definition, a person is considered abnormal if they are unable to cope with the demands of everyday life. They may be unable to perform routine activities of daily living e.g. self-care, hold down a job, interact meaningfully with others, make themselves understood etc.

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Different Senses of Word "Know", by John Hospers

Different Senses of Word "Know", by John Hospers

According to John Hospers, the word 'know' is slippery. It is not always used in the same way. Here are some of it's principal uses :

1. Sometimes when we talk about knowing, we are referring to 'acquaintance' of some kind. For example, "Do you know Richard Smith?" Means approximately the same as "Are you acquainted with Richard Smith?" (Have you met him? etc.). You might know him , in the sense of acquaintance,  without knowing much about him; and you know a great deal about someone but not know him because you have never met him. Or we might ask, "Do you know that quaint old country lane seven miles west of town?" And here, though we can hardly speak of knowing it in quite the same way (we haven't been introduced), we are still talking about acquaintance: Have you been there? Have you seen it by yourself?

2. Sometimes we speak of knowing how --- "Do you know how to ride a horse?" We even use a usual noun - 'know how', in talking about this. Knowing how is an ability --- we know how to ride a horse. If we have the ability to ride a horse, in the appropriate situation we can perform the activity in question. If you place me on a horse, you will so  discover the merits of the claim that I know how to ride a horse.

3. But by the far the most frequent use of the word 'know', and the one with which we shall be primarily concerned, is the propositional sense: "I know that .......... ", where the word 'that' is followed by a proposition: "I know that I am a philosophy student", and so on. There is some relation between this last sense of 'know' and the earlier ones. We cannot be acquainted with Smith without knowing something about him, and it is difficult to see how one can know how to swim without knowing some true propositions about swimming, concerning what you must do with your arms and legs when in the water.

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Difference Between Orthodox (Astika) and Heterodox (Nastika) Schools of Indian Philosophy

Difference Between Orthodox (Astika) and Heterodox (Nastika) Schools of Indian Philosophy

It is customary to divide Indian philosophy into two broad classes :  orthodox or astika and heterodox or nastika.

The words "astika" and "nastika" have a different connotation in Indian philosophical literature. In common parlance as also in modern Indian language, "astika" means "theist" i.e. one believing in God, and "nastika" means "atheist" i.e. one who does not believe in the existence of God.

But in Indian philosophical language, the word "astika" means one who believes in the authority of Vedas. The term "nastika" means its opposite, i.e. one who refuses to accept the authority of Vedas. The orthodox systems recognise the authority of the Vedas while the heterodox systems do not recognise their authority. The former are called "astika" and the latter are called "nastika".

The Carvaka, Bauddha and Jaina schools are heterodox systems. They do not believe in the authority of the Vedas, nor do they accept the Vedas as the source of  valid knowledge. Moreover , none of these schools believe in the existence of God. Thus these three schools are "nastika" in both meanings of the term. Carvaka is a materialistic system. The Carvakas believe in the reality of matter only and do not recognise the reality of soul and God. They are not prepared to admit the reality of anything which is not given  in sense perception. The Bauddhas are phenomenalists in so far as they believe in the reality of phenomena, changes or impermanence. They do not recognise the reality of any immaterial soul-substance other than the fleeting states o consciousness. The Jainas are also atheists, because they do not believe in God as the creator of the world. The Carvaka, Bauddha and Jaina schools arose mainly in opposition to the Vedic culture, and therefore they rejected the authorities of the Vedas.


The Nyaya, Vaisesika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta are the six orthodox (astika) systems, because they believe in the authority of the Vedas. These six systems are popularly known as "sad-darsana" (six philosophies). Of those six orthodox systems, Samkhya and Mimamsa do not believe in God as the creator of the world, yet they are astika or orthodox since they believe in the authority of Vedas.

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Anxiety

Anxiety 

In everyday life almost everybody gets anxious or feels nervous before a test, or an important business meeting. It is normal to experience anxiety when faced with any stress or threatening situation, but it becomes abnormal to feel strong, chronic anxiety in the absence of a visible cause. There is a growing evidence of most of the people suffering from anxiety disorders are overly sensitive to threat cues, they exhibit a heightened sensitivity, vigilance or readiness to attend to potential threats.

When anxiety occurs in inappropriate times, occurs frequently,  or is so intense and long-lasting that it interferes with a person's normal activities, it is considered a disorder.

The term 'anxiety' is mainly defined as vague, diffuse and a very unpleasant feeling of fear and apprehension. The individual shows combinations of the symptoms like rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, fainting, dizziness, sweating, sleeplessness, frequent urination and tremor. People who feel anxious are not aware of the reasons for their fear. Thus even though fear and anxiety involve similar reactions, the cause of worry is readily apparent.

Fear and stress reactions are essential for human survival. They enable people to pursue important goals and to respond appropriately to danger. In a healthy individual, the stress response is provoked by a genuine threat or challenge and is used as a spur for appropriate action. An anxiety disorder, however, involves an excessive or inappropriate state of arousal characterised by feeling of apprehension, uncertainty, or fear.

The word 'anxiety' is derived from the Latin 'angere', which means to choke or strangle. The anxiety response  is often not triggered by a real threat. Nevertheless it can still paralyze the individual into inaction or withdrawal. An anxiety disorder persists, while an appropriate response to a threat resolves, once the threat is removed. Anxiety disorder involve a state of distressing chronic but fluctuating nervousness that is inappropriately severe for the person's circumstances.

Drugs, psychotherapy,  or both can substantially help most people with anxiety disorder.

● Common Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder :-

• Nervousness
• Vigilance
• Sleeplessness
• Breathlessness 
• Feeling faint
• Lack of concentration
• Worry or apprehension 
• Trembling
• Sweating
• Feeling tired
• Frequency of urination
• Palpitation almost pounding of heart
• Muscle tension
• Headaches 
• Insomnia
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Hot flashes or chills
• Hyperventilation
• Nausea or stomach cramps etc.

● CATEGORY OF ANXIETY DISORDERS ●

According to standard manual for mental health clinicians, DSM IV -TR categorises anxiety disorders under the following headings :

☆ Generalised Anxiety Disorders: This consists of more prolonged, vague, unexplained but intense fears that not seem to be attached to any particular object. It resembles normal fears but no actual danger is present in most of the cases.

♧ Symptoms of Generalised Anxiety Disorders:

• Motor tension 
• Apprehensive feelings about the future
• Automatic reactivity
• Hyper vigilance

☆ Panic Disorder (Panic Attack) : Panic disorders may come about with no warning signs. The indicators are mostly similar to generalised anxiety disorders except they are magnified and usually have a sudden onset. The victims fear that they will die, or go crazy or do something uncontrolled and they report a variety of unusual psycho sensory symptoms. This disorder affect women more than men and younger age groups more than the elderly. Compared to other anxiety disorders panic attacks appear to the more distressing and sometimes severe panic states are followed by periods of psychotic disorganisation in which there is a reduced capacity to test reality.

♧ Symptoms of Panic Attacks :

• Dizziness, unsteadiness or faintness
• Trembling, shaking or sweating
• Heart palpitations or high heart rate
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Numbness or tingling
• Fear of death or losing control

☆ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) : Obsessions are recurring thoughts, impulses or images that the person tries to eliminate or resist but either cannot or has extreme difficulty in doing so. The person does not have the control on their obsessions which leads to increase anxiety and to the method generally used to try to control the obsessions. People usually involve in doubt, hesitation, fear of contamination, or fear of ones own aggression. Compulsions are thought or action that provide relief are generally used to suppress the obsession. The compulsions are not connected realistically with the obsessions they are excessive in their nature. The victim of OCD tend to be secretive about their pre occupations and frequently are able to work effectively in spite of their problems.

♧ Symptoms of OCD :

• Obsessiveness to check the door locks
• Obsessive of sexual thoughts
• Obsession of counting
• Washing the hands continuously
• Lots of doubts
• Brushing the teeth continuously under compulsion.

☆ Phobias : Phobia is an intense irrational and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things etc. People with this disorder know exactly for what they are afraid of, except for their fears of specific objects, phobic situations, individuals etc. Physically there does not seem to be anything wrong with them, but their fears are out of proportion with reality seem to be inexplicable and are beyond their voluntary control. One study on phobic patients showed that their fears gell into five categories, viz., (i) separation (ii) animals (iii) bodily mutilation  (iv) social situation and (v) nature.

Classification of Phobias :  Phobias are many and are classified according to the feared object. Those are presented below ---

1. Agora phobia: Fear of open places.
2. Claustro phobia: Fear of closed places.
3. Xeno phobia: Fear of strangers.
4. Ochlo phobia: Fear of crowd.
5. Hemo phobia: Fear of blood.
6. Somni phobia: Fear of sleep.
7. Phasmo phobia: Fear of ghosts.
8. Myso phobia: Fear of dirt.
9. Algophobia: Fear of pain.
10. Andro phobia: Fear of men.
11. Aqua phobia: Fear of water.
12. Hydro phobia: Fear of water.
13. Arachno phobia: Fear of spiders.
14. Social phobia: Fear and embarrassment in dealing with others.

♧ Symptoms of Phobia :

• Intense and disabling fear, panic and anxiety
• Fear become too much excessive and unreasonable
• Avoiding certain places and situation for fear
• Avoidance becomes prominent and affects the normal life
• Obsessive thinking
• Feeling from the situation
• Persistent worry
• Shaking and Palpitation

☆ Post Traumatic Stress Disorder : This is a disorder that develops after a person experiences a traumatic or terrifying event, for example, physical or sexual assault, unexpected death of loved ones, natural disasters causing heavy damage and death and destruction, etc. Long time after the event had occurred the person mentally remains occupied along with the same feelings of anxiety that the original event had produced.

♧ Symptoms of PTSD:

• Anger and irritability
• Flashbacks
• Feeling of intense distress
• Depression and hopelessness
• Feeling jumpy and easily started
• Rapid breathing nausea and muscle tension
• Suicidal thoughts
• Feelings of alienated
• Chest pain

☆ Acute Stress Disorder : It is a psychological condition arising in response to a terrifying or traumatic event. It is similar to post traumatic stress disorder but experienced immediately after the traumatic event. 

♧ Symptoms of ASD :

• Numbness
• Detachment
• Derealisation 
• Depersonalisation
• Dissociative amnesia
• Flashbacks
• Avoidance of any stimulation

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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia 

Schizophrenia, also sometimes called a split personality disorder, is a chronic, severe, debilitating mental illness which affects about two percent of the population. It is one of the psychotic mental disorders and is characterised behavioural and social abnormalities.

The individual of this disorder also develop disorganised speech, disorganised rigid or lax behaviour, significantly decreased appropriate behaviours and feelings as well as development of delusions.

Most cases of schizophrenia appear in the late teens or early adulthood. This is a disease of the brain and one of the most disabling and emotionally devastating illness and for a long time has not been properly diagnosed and quite often misjudged and misunderstood. Schizophrenia has a biological basis.

The Prevalence Rate of schizophrenia is approximately 1.1% of the population over the age of 18 (source : NIHM) or, in other words, at any other time as many as 51 million people worldwide suffer from schizophrenia, including :

6 to 12 million people in China (a rough estimate based on the population);

4.3 to 8.7 million people in India (a rough estimate based on the population);

2.2 million people in USA;

285,000 people in Australia;

Over 280,000 people in Canada;

Over 250,000 diagnosed cases in Britain.

According to Robin Murray, rates of schizophrenia are generally similar from country to country --- about 0.5% to 1 percent of the population.

☆ Suicide Risk of Schizophrenia ☆

People with the schizophrenia condition have a 50 times higher risk of attempting suicide than the general population. The risk of suicide is very serious in people with schizophrenia. Suicide is the number one cause of premature death among people with schizophrenia, with an estimated 10% to 30% killing themselves and approximately 40% attempting suicide at least once (and as much as 60% of males attempting suicide). The extreme depression and psychoses that can result due to lack of treatment are the usual causes.

☆ Schizophrenia and Violence ☆

People with schizophrenia are far more likely to harm themselves than be violent towards the public. Violence is not a symptom of schizophrenia. Most people with schizophrenia are withdrawn and prefer to be left alone. Drug or alcohol abuse raises the risk of violence in people with schizophrenia, particularly if the illness is untreated, but also in people who have no mental illness.

☆ The First Signs of schizophrenia ☆

The first signs of schizophrenia appear as confusing or even shocking changes in behaviour. The activity of chemical messengers at certain nerve ending in the brain is unusual and may be a clue to the cause of the disorder. When it is severe this can lead to intense panic, anger, depression, elation or other activity. This can be treated giving the majority of people chance to live a ordinary life. Schizophrenia is a group of psychotic disorder that interferes with thinking and mental or emotional responsiveness, which disintegrates the entire personality.

This disorder has important symptoms such as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social or occupational distinction. The onset of symptoms typically occurs in young adulthood with a global lifetime prevalence.

Genetic, early environment, neurobiology, psychological and social process appear to be important contributory factors in the development of the disorder. Although no common cause of Schizophrenia has been identified in all individuals and diagnosed with the condition. In recent days the researchers and clinicians believe it results from a combination of both brain vulnerabilities and life events.

☆ SHYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA ☆

Signs and symptoms of schizophrenia generally are divided into three categories :- positive, negative, and cognitive.

■ Positive Symptoms:

In schizophrenia positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functions. These active, abnormal symptoms may include:

▪Delusions : Delusions are false beliefs. These beliefs are not based in reality and usually involve misinterpretation of perception or experience. They are the most common of schizophrenic symptoms.

▪ Hallucination : These usually involve seeing or hearing things that do not exist, although hallucinations can be in any of the senses. Hearing voices is the most common hallucination among people with schizophrenia. These are called auditory hallucinations.

▪ Thought Disorder : Difficulty speaking and organising thoughts may result in stopping speech midsentence or putting together meaningless words, sometimes known as 'word salad'.

▪ Disorganised Behaviour : This may show in a number of ways, ranging from child like silliness to unpredictable agitation.

■ Negative Symptoms:

Negative symptoms refers to a diminishment or absence of characteristics of normal function. They may appear months or years before positive symptoms. They include:

▪ Loss of interest in everyday activities;
▪ Appearing to lack emotion;
▪ Reduced ability to plan or carry out activities;
▪ Neglect of personal hygiene;
▪ Social withdrawal;
▪ Loss of motivation.

■ Cognitive Symptoms:

Cognitive symptoms involve problems with thought process. A person with schizophrenia may be born with these symptoms, but the may worsen when the disorder starts. They include :

▪ Problems with making sense of information;
▪ Difficulty paying attention;
▪ Memory problems.

● Common Symptoms ●

1. Social withdrawal
2. Flat, expressionless gaze
3. Inappropriate laughter or crying
4. Depression
5. Insomnia or oversleeping
6. Delusions of persecution
7. Delusions of reference
8. Delusions of grandeur
9. Delusions of control
10. Auditory hallucinations 
11. Visual hallucinations in some cases
12. Disorganised speech
13. Disorganised behaviour
14. Clumsy in motor functions
15. Involuntary movements of the limbs
16. Awkward walking
17. Unusual gesture and postures
18. Appearing desire less or seeking nothing
19. Feeling indifferent to important events
20. Low motivation or No motivation
21. Suicidal thoughts in some cases
22. Rapidly changing mood

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Clinical Psychology

Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology is the largest subfield of psychology.  Clinical psychologists come closest to many people's idea of what a psychologist is. They are "doctors" who diagnose psychological disorders and treat them by means of psychotherapy.

A clinical psychologist normally holds a Ph. D. or M. A. or Psy. D. Degree and has done several years of postgraduate work in a psychology department. Clinical psychologists are trained to apply psychotherapeutic techniques, to diagnose psychological disorders, and to do research on the causes of these disorders. 

Clinical psychology and psychiatry are often confused because practitioners of both disciplines use psychotherapy in the treatment of behavioural problems. However, unlike clinical psychologists, psychologists are trained as physicians and hold M. D. degrees; they become psychiatrists by doing several years of residency in a psychiatry department. Being physicians, psychiatrists can use drugs and other medical means to treat psychological disorders.

The clinical psychologist, who does not have medical training, cannot prescribe drugs to treat behaviour disorders. It means that whenever there is a possibility of a medical disorder, a patient should be examined by a psychiatrist or other physician. Further, in most states, only a psychiatrist can commit a patient to a hospital for care and treatment.

On the other hand, psychologists are usually better trained in doing research; thus, clinical psychologists are somewhat more likely than psychiatrists to be involved in systematically studying better ways of diagnosing, treating, and preventing behaviour disorders. Psychologists are also more likely than psychiatrists to use psychotherapy methods that have grown out of scientific research. Clinical psychologists also tend to rely more heavily than psychiatrists on standardised tests as an aid to diagnose behaviour disorders.

Confusion between the fields of clinical psychology and psychiatry arises because both provide psychotherapy. They both use various techniques to relieve the symptoms of psychological disorders and to help people understand the reasons of their problems. Such psychotherapeutic techniques range from giving support and assurance to someone in a temporary crisis to extensive probing to find the motives behind behaviour. 

Many clinical psychologists practice in state mental hospitals, veterans' hospitals, community mental health centres, and similar agencies. In the institutions and clinics where many clinical psychologists practice, while psychiatrists often are available for prescribing medical treatment when needed, psychologists do a large part of professional work of diagnosis and treatment, as well as holding important administrative jobs and doing much of the research.

The clinical psychologist and the psychiatrist should also be distinguished from the psychoanalyst. A psychoanalyst is a person who uses the particular psychotherapeutic techniques which originated with Sigmund Freud and his followers. Anyone who has had the special training required to use these techniques can be psychoanalyst. Since psychoanalysis originated in Freud's medical and psychiatric practice, it was first adopted by psychiatrists, and thus, today, many psychiatrists are also psychoanalysts. But clinical psychologists who have had psychoanalytic training can also be psychoanalysts, as can people who are neither psychiatrists nor clinical psychologists.

Urvashi : heart touching short story

short stories online

Urvashi

Urvashi

She was not an ordinary woman. But it was her dream to live an ordinary life. A household lady cooks for her family, takes care of her children, obeys her husband, listens to her elder family members, follows some social rules made for household persons, practices some religious rituals in her everyday life. But Urvashi was not like that. She was not shy just like other ladies. She did not have to work hard like an ordinary lady does for her family. She did not have a family, a husband, a child. She had wealth, a big and well decorated residence, several workers, fame, but she had nobody who was her own. People admired her art, her performance, her beauty, but nobody ever felt that she also had a heart, she had her own emotions. She also needed love instead of just lust.

She was Urvashi. It was not her birth name, she was famous with this name. By profession she was a famous dancer of Lukhnow. People used to contact her in their social occasions to perform amazing art of music. The people from Royal court were her regular audience and there were plenty of rich citizens of Lukhnow who used to visit her regular performance. The kings of several states used to contact her in their recreation rooms. She was only 21 years old, well trained in Indian classical music and dance. There was nobody who could compete with her.

Sometimes, in the lazy hours of day time, she tried to remember her childhood in her village. She was a loving daughter of her father. Her elder brother also loved her very much. She could remember those happy days with her mother. Her father was a poor man. He  only had some crop-field and from that income of farming , he carried on all the expenses of the family. Once his educated brother tried to consume all his properties, but failed. Till then the relation between two brothers was bitter. One day the little girl was playing in the field with her friends. She was 10 years old then. When she was returning home alone from the play ground of the village, some people covered her face with a cloth and after a short struggle, she became unconscious by a sharp smell. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in this big city. She was imprisoned in a house and a middle aged cruel woman was her guardian. She lived there two weeks.

From there, another pretty woman took her along. She was kind-hearted and loved the poor little girl very much like her own daughter. She cried and appealed to be send back to her village. But nobody listened to her. 

One day she tried to escape from there. But she became puzzled into the heavy traffic and complex roads of the city. The cruel woman caught and beat her. She tried it for the second time when she came to the next house, but the pretty woman, called 'Gulabi aunt, didn't even scold her, instead she spoke with softness that, it was impossible to go back home. She too was trapped like her when at her age. Gulabi aunt named her 'Urvashi'.

Gradually Urvashi accepted 'Gulabi aunt' as her guardian and she became habituated in her new circumstance. She started to learn music and dance under Gulabi aunt and at her 18 years of age, she became famous for her perfection and her beauty. 

When she was 20, almost all  men of Lukhnow city was fond of her beauty. Among them, was an 18 year old boy who was blind to her. He was Brajesh. He was even prepared to die for her. It was fun for Urvashi. The boy was younger and was immature. So she treated him like a little boy. Brajesh even used to come at day time. Urvashi liked him. Because he could not even speak in front of her. He told about his feelings for Urvashi to her maids. The maids also took his childish behaviour as fun.

Brajesh wanted to propose his feeling of love to Urvashi everyday, but failed every time to expose his words to her. But Urvashi understood his feelings. But Brajesh was an young boy and he didn't even know  properly what 'love' is. She felt sorry for that boy, but it was not possible for her to encourage him to be a freak. After all she was not an household woman. It was not possible for an young boy like Brajesh to fight against the society.

One night, after her evening performance, Urvashi was taking some rest in her room. She heard some noise on the road. She came to her second storey veranda to see what was going on. But when she came, nobody was there on the road. So she returned to her room and felt a man with a sharp dagger pointed towards her standing beside the door. But when they looked at each other, he lowered the knife.

"Who are you? Why are you here at this time?" Urvashi asked without moving her gaze from the man's beautiful eyes.

"Ratnajit". The man was also lost himself  in her eyes. After sometime he said, "I need to go."

"When will you come again?" Urvashi asked.

"I don't know!" The man replied. "May be tomorrow; may be never."

Ratnajit left that house silently. When he was gone, Urvashi felt a strange feeling deep inside her heart. That night she couldn't sleep. Her consciousness was covered by two beautiful eyes.

Next evening she had to perform in king's palace. But she could not concentrate properly in her art form. The performance was not as usual that evening. After returning home, she waited whole night for Ratnajit. But he did not came.

In the morning Brajesh came with a news. He told, a man was caught by the guards of the king. He was an external merchant in the city market of Lukhnow. The guards caught him near Urvashi’s residence the previous night.

Urvashi became aware. She asked Brajesh, "How does he looks like?"

Brajesh described the man. Urvashi became sure that it was Ratnajit. She asked, "What did he do?"

"Nothing!" Brajesh said. "Actually somebody theft some precious ornaments  of the queen. The king ordered his security guards to find out the thief in four days. Otherwise he will give them death penalty. But the guards failed to find out the original thief, and so, they were seeking a man to represent as the thief. The merchant was new in this city. There is nobody, who can support him in the royal court. So he was their easy target. They chased him before two nights. He was vanished in this area near Urvashi’s residence. Next night they caught him and imprisoned him."

Urvashi was speechless. That afternoon she went to the prison with Brajesh to meet Ratnajit. The man was sitting inside the cell completely depressed. When he looked at Urvashi, his eyes flashed with happiness. But Urvashi was sad. She knew that, he was going to die as per the state's law. Then king would not listen even to her. Yet she asked the guards to leave him free, because he was innocent. One of them gave her a suggestion, "We need a thief to save ourselves. If you can arrange anybody else, then we can let him go. We have no envy to him."

When returning to her home by a horse carriage, she was very upset. Brajesh noticed her emotions for Ratnajit. He asked Urvashi, "Do you love him?" Her tears gave him the answer. It ailed him deeply. They both were silent then. When they reached at Urvashi’s door-step, Brajesh told her, "I never dared to tell you that 'I love you'. I love you more than anything in this world. I love you more than myself. You love that man. It is fine to me. Because I love your emotions too. You will get back that man. But I have a request to you, please don't forget me ever. Good bye my love."

Urvashi did not listened to him properly. Her concentration was in another thought. When Brajesh left, she entered into the house and announced to Gulabi aunt that, she was not feeling well and could not perform that evening. She spent whole evening and night into her room weeping and thinking a way to save Ratnajit's life. But she couldn't solve the problem.

Next morning, she was really ill, a maid came to her bed room and informed that a man came to meet her. She came to the sitting room and with a great surprise saw Ratnajit stood there. She was too surprised to speak anything. Ratnajit said, "Thank you very much madam. You are a kind hearted lady. You have saved my life. But I have to say you something. The boy, whom you sent there in my place, do not deserve death. Rather my death was better to me....."

"What? A boy? I have send a boy?" Urvashi was more astonished.

"Yes! That boy, who was with you the previous day." Ratnajit told her.

Now all the words told by Brajesh became clear to her. "Where is he now?" She asked with panic.

"Probably he is now in Royal court. The king will give him a death sentence today." Ratnajit informed her with a great sorrow.

"That crazy boy...." She ran toward the entrance door and caught a horse-carriage on the road. She was in her night gown, bare feet, uncombed hair. She told the cart driver, "To the Royal palace! Hurry up!"

When she entered into the royal court, the guards stopped her at the gate. But when they recognised her, let her go inside. There were a crowed of men from different classes. At the middle of the court room floor, Brajesh was standing tied with chain like an animal. The king asked him, "Do you have anything to say in your favour?"

"My Lord! I am the real thief. I have nothing to say anything in favour of me." Brajesh replied the king.

"Anybody want to say anything about him?" The king asked to the crowed. Then Urvashi came beside Brajesh and appealed, "I have to say something My Lord. May I?" The king gave her a sign to tell.

"My Lord! He did nothing." Brajesh surprised with Urvashi’s words. "I am that thief. I theft those jewellery from Honourable Queen's dressing room. He knows it. He loves me. So he is only trying to save me."

"Hmm! Fine! Where is those things now?" The king asked to her.

"I have sold them all in a hidden market." Urvashi lied.

The king now smiled a little and asked her, "Now tell me, what types of jewellery items were there?"

Now Urvashi felt uneasy. She stuttered and named some random items. The king then asked Brajesh. He also stuttered. The king told them, "So, none of you are thieves. Now tell me what's the matter? Why are you pretending so?"

Urvashi told all the story what was really happened. The king ordered the guards to free them and he seized those corrupted guards.

Outside of the Royal court, Brajesh asked Urvashi, "Why is your get-up like this?" Urvashi slapped him all of a sudden, "You crazy boy! Why did you do this? If anything happened to you? I was so scared. But God saved you." 

"It was you who saved me. But why have you came here and took the blame upon you? Were you going to die for me?" Brajesh asked.

"Yes." Urvashi replied with a red face. 

"But you told me, you love that man."

"I was wrong. Actually I love you. I have realized it when I came to know that you are in danger. I felt my world was getting dark. I felt like suffocated. Please don't do it again."

They were walking side by side. Brajesh held her hand softly. Urvashi turned back and saw it was not that 'funny', 'crazy' boy whom she used to know. Rather, he was a perfect lover who could die for her. Who was caring to her. Who was her own man. Brajesh kissed on her soft lips and said, "Promise".