*From To Sathish* - Thread 3 - Page 43

Redemption-chapter-20

"My friend, I am not what I seem. Seeming is but a garment I wear " a care-woven garment that protects me from thy questionings and thee from my negligence. The "I" in me, my friend, dwells in the house of silence, and therein it shall remain for ever more, unperceived, unapproachable." Kahlil Gibran, The Madman


Rudran got out of the cab at the entrance of Global hospitals and walked into the large reception area.He spoke softly to the receptionist who pointed to the far left corner where the elevators were and thanking her rudran walked into one and reched the fourth floor.The hospital was like a small city and corridors ran away as small tunnels in five directions and rudran took the first one which had a blue sign prominently announcing the cardiology dept.Like many large five star hotels,hospitals now had an exclusive range of rooms for their patients and also suite like rooms for those who could afford it.Just as he reached the area of these rooms he saw to his satisfaction and relief that a man who was obviously one of the private security team standing and guarding the entrance of the corridor in which the rooms were situtated.

Most private security agencies hire retired and ex police officers who opted out using VRS or just made a jump to the private and corporate field for the pay was much better.The man in his mid or late fifties stared at Rudran as he came towards him and his body posture went rigid in attention for a man who has been in the service always recognises another one and especially a higher ranking one.Maybe it is in the way they walk,maybe it is in the way they look at the outside world or just the haircut and posturing a cop always knows and recognises another cop and this gentleman saw rudran and knew he was not a threat and yet kept his eyes on him.

Rudran walked past him and saw the other two members of the team standing alertly outside the second room on the right hand side of the corridor.Rudran stopped outside the door and told them he was here to see his mother and knocked gently and the door was opened by Babu who broke into a huge smile " iyaa,vaanga,ulla vaanga."

Rudran gently hugged babu who said there was nothing to worry about his mother and she was resting well.The shift to the hospital had not created any tensions or stress to her condition and she was just her normal self and normal in her situation was one where she was lost in some world of hers.

Babu placed a chair near the bed and softly walked out leaving mother and son to their privacy.

Rudran sat in the chair and gently took his mother's right hand and kissed it softly " amma.This is rudran.I am sorry that i had to move you from the house but it is for our safety and only for a short while.I am doing okay and so please don't worry about me."

His mother's fingers gently closed around his fingers and she mumbled " Rudy,never leave bhairav alone for he is not well. The doctors have said that there is something wrong with his brain and that he might not live very long.So always keep a close watch on him."

Rudran was shocked and did not know what he had just heard and did not know what to make of it and looked into his mother's eyes wondering what she had meant about Bhairav's condition.But as usual his mother's eyes were filled with that lost,faraway look and he knew she was beyond his reach.

The door opened and babu entered and rudran looked at him and whispered " she spoke and said something about Bhairav not being well.I am not able to make sense of what i just heard."

Babu " Rudra,forget it.I have heard her talk about bhairav many a time and i don't know what she means or is trying to say.It is the same what you heard and that bhairav is not well.It is nearly 30 years since he has been gone from us and yet she still holds on to him instead of reaching out to the one who still lives for her."

Babu gently stroked rudrans head " listen,don't spend too much time pondering over her words and most importantly please do not dwell on the past for it is done.What ever the situation it is right now just finish it quickly and take us back home for she i think she will find more comfort in our home than here.Please look after yourself for more than anyone else i know who bears all the pain and grief in this family.You have been carrying this burden of guilt for far too many years.It is time to let go and spend time here with us.Maybe that might help her condition and maybe we can hope for some sort of recovery in her condition."


Rudran wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded to Babu and left his mother and the room and walked out of the hospital.He touched his mobile and booked a car via the OLA app and it told him that a vehicle would reach him in a few minutes.

His mobile sang and announce ACP balaraman's call and rudran swiped the screen and said " hello bala."

Balaraman " Three dead now.Two in critical condition from the earlier episode and the other will never be able to walk properly ever.i agree that they deserve it but any idea when it is going to stop."

Rudran " bala,that is not in my hands for i am being hunted and everything i care about is being threatened.Tell me what am i supposed to do,keep quiet and get slaughtered.Anyway what is the situation there ?"

Acp balaraman " as usual the commissioner has called for a meeting.the bodies have been removed to the goverment general hospital for autopsy.But we know that they are not from chennai and i guess soon it will be traced out that they flew into chennai from delhi and their identities will be established.But i doubt if anything will come out of it and after a few weeks or months the case will start to gather dust once it is known that the dead men were all wanted criminals with many cases against them in delhi."

Rudran thought for a moment " Bala,i am not worried about these three for they were just the first team and soon more will come and more will die.They are just the butts,tail and limbs of the monster who is yet to make his presence known.I am waiting for the head to show itself for once i chop it off then there won't be any trouble or trouble makers.Thanks for calling me and please just keep me informed."

Acp balaraman said okay and their conversation ended.A white innova pulled up and rudran got in and told him where to go and headed towards home.One thing ate at him and he would not let it go until he found what it meant.They were the words that his mother had whispered in the hospital room and rudran knew that he had to get to the bottom of it and he knew who could solve the mystery behind his mothers words.


"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." Roald Dahl

Redemption-chapter 21

"People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that's bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they're afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It's all in how you carry it. That's what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you're letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain." Jim Morrison

Life.Yes,that one word represents so much and everything that we hold dear and treasure as precious.But what is life and is it the domain of only the living and not those who do not live or exist as the world wants them to be or the standards the society sets for all of us to follow.But then who again are these so called society,rule makers,trend setters who leave cues for the rest to follow.Clothes you don't want to wear and surely know that they look bad on you and yet you buy them just to fit in.Flock to a restaurant which is supposed to be chic,uber and the in thing just to let the world know you are in with the in thing.Go see a film just because everyone is seeing it.Okay i guess you get what i am trying to say or convey.So then is living just about what others want and not about what you want.Most of us fear ridicule,fear not being accepted and in truth fear majority.Yes what the rest will say and stand for when you stand alone with your thoughts.But if you look at them and smile and say i don't need you then you stand with your virtue,your thoughts,your right and with your soul untarnished.


Known and the unknown


Murky answered his mobile " ha bolo "

His man,one of the five who flew in from delhi whispered " boss,we are near his place but it is swarming with cops.I tried calling them but no response.I got news that three people were found murdered on the road and i think the place is just near his house.I am sure that those three who were killed were our men."

Murky swore filthy curses that had the caller himself wince at its vulgarity " Suno.don't do anything.step back and go back to your hotel.I have sent someone special to handle this and he is coming in from mumbai.Do whatever he tells you to and just follow his orders.This situation with the cop is not an ordinary one and it is beyond your expertise.I made a mistake of underestimating him and taking the threat he posed lightly.But we live and learn and we will not make the same mistake again.I will be there soon but you will not see me for i think it is better we handle this problem from different directions with various levels of forces."

Murky then made a call " Listen,he has already taken out the three men who i sent to follow him and so i have asked the others to retreat and go back to their hotel and wait for your instructions.I am sending all their numbers to your mobile and call them after you are ready with a plan."

Murky made a second call " I will be in chennai soon.This problem with the cop has elevated to a dangerous level and i need to put an end to it before it escalates and we all lose out in the resulting fight."

The man in chennai spoke " This guy is not an ordinary police officer.People think becoming an IPS or an IAS officer is some big shit but it is just an exam where they question you about subjects you are good at.It is not some big or earth shattering feat to become a IPS officer."

Murky irritated " your point being if there is a point."

The voice in chennai " i called up a few people,discreetly of course and although i could not get the full info for it was classified for even my contacts to get into,i can safely say that this guy is connected to the defence dept and also the intelligence wing."

Murky absorbed this information silently as the wheels spun in his brain.

The voice in chennai " do you understand what i just told you.This one guy has at his fingertips all the info about you and your gangs and probably can track you at his will.Since he seems to be connected to the defence dept and also has links with the intelligence bureau and is also a serving high ranked police officer,then he must be special,really special.And let me tell you what it means for he is not an ordinary man but one with extra ordinary capabilities be it physical or mental.I have heard whispers about their training here and abroad and i am pretty sure this guy has seen action and that puts him in an elite level.Murky,just telling you all this is sending shivers down my spine.I ahve this guys photo in front of me and let me tell you that this guy means business and will not back down until he has taken you down and all of us.So just back off and lie low for a few years or just go to goa or some holiday destination and enjoy the good life.You have earned hundreds of crores and i am sure they are stashed all over the world.so just let all this go and walk away."

Murky sniggered " just tell me one thing.Is this guy a human being or a god ? "

The voice from chennai " He is a human being.But "

Murky " no buts.he is a human like the rest of us and will bleed and hurt just like the rest of us.Just keep digging and try to gather more information for i am sure that there must be a crack or a tiny chink in his armor.I will talk to you soon."


I cannot be killed for i am already dead.I cannot bleed for everything is already bled out and most importantly my soul is withered and dead.There is no tiny chink or crack in my armor for my whole life has been cracked open from the time he left me on my own.I am Rudran.

"There are two things that may happen to a person: the first is that you become so soft that no one and nothing can break you, and the second is that you become so hard that nothing and no one can break you. Either way you go, the path will be very painful. But herein is the great sadness of it all: that anyone must try to become something that cannot be broken (whether the soft or the hard). Why must we be born into a world where we must spend our lives struggling to become unbreakable?" C. JoyBell C.

Hi all,

Could someone shed light on the previous page numbering 53 where i see a new member has been banned and his or her post deleted.what's with that.Thank you.be well.

Hi all,

Here is another article by my childhood friend sanjay dattatri and one which is absolutely relevant for today and forever.I am a huge fan of his writing and i envy him for his deep and awesome thoughts and i hope that someday i ca write as well as he does.

Modern traditions

All around us and all through the year, we see a lot of traditional practices being followed. For Deepavali, we light lamps and burst crackers, for Bogi, we burn stuff, for a death we take out processions, for the tamil month of Aadi we hire loudspeakers and let Seergazhi and L R Eashwari belt out songs, and for New Year we drink and make merry.

The list of such practices is a long one. Though many of us believe that these are traditions that have been practiced for millennia, I am sure many of the detrimental aspects of these traditions are recent additions.

After all, were there carcinogenic fireworks 200 years ago? Did we have polluting tyres to burn 100 years ago? Were there peace-shattering loudspeakers readily available even 50 years ago? I think not. As with most things in India, traditions have adapted to the times and circumstances.

Asking people to revert to the cleaner versions is a non-starter. Every year, just before deepavali, facebook is full of pictures of children holding placards that read "Have a silent Deepavali. Say no to crackers", with little effect.

So, for a change, instead of naively writing about how we can try and modify the behaviour of people, I would like to imagine a world where a set of earth-friendly new traditions take root.

In that spirit, here are a five new traditions that I would like to see.

1. Death and birth

When a person dies, the family and friends (and paid mourners) of the deceased take out a procession from the house to the crematorium with great fanfare, make a lot of noise, throw flowers along the way, disrupt traffic and generally make life difficult for others.

As a new tradition, when a child is born, why not have a procession from the hospital to the home where friends and family of the new parents walk in a single file on the pavement, carry brooms and garbage bins and silently clean the roads along the way?

2. Deepavali

On the day after, the roads are full of red and white shredded paper like so much blood and bone, plastic and cardboard boxes (from the packing) are piled up at corners and the air thick with acrid smoke.

As a new tradition, on the day after Deepavali, families could join together and clean their streets, so they quickly revert to their pre-deepavali splendour. In addition, they could refrain from using their cars and bikes for as many days as their families were involved in bursting crackers. That way, they can compensate for the pollution created.

3. Bogi.

The burning of old stuff is a symbolic way of doing away with the old and ringing in the new. That is why people traditionally burnt old stuff on Bogi, the day before Pongal -the harvest festival that stands for hope and all things new.

Given that many of the products and clothes people burn/discard these days are eminently usable by the less fortunate, why not create a new tradition of refurbishing products (instead of burning them) and donating them to those who may use the products for the purpose they were made, thereby extending their useful life.

4. The noisy month of Aadi

The Tamil month Aadi (the 4th month of the tamil calendar) is considered an inauspicious time for "good" events such as betrothals and weddings. However, it is a period when temple festivals are conducted with gusto and loudspeakers blare out religious fare from sunrise to well beyond sunset.

As a new tradition, why not have the next month (avani) as a silent month, when we will all refrain from using horns and loud speakers. Maybe even have deep discount sales on autorickshaw silencers! Ah! A month of peace and quiet will be nice. We may even hear the birds for a change.

5. Christmas and new year

At the end of the year, the retail industry goes into overdrive to feed our consumerist frenzy. We struggle to identify meaningful gifts for ourselves and our loved ones and eventually buy something (however useful or not) because 'tis the season and it demands it.

Instead, (or in addition to) how about going to orphanages, destitute homes and government schools where the poorer children are and help them make wishlists and fulfill those? That way we will surely end up buying gifts that are needed and are much appreciated.

Let the new traditions begin!

A list of tamil songs that i think were decent and bearable in another otherwise unremarkable year be it movie wise or music wise.

That one song from yennai arindhaal kept running around my house so i guess my choice as no.1 is that song for now.But wait there is one more month left and maybe we might be surprised with a great music album.

The standards in the quality of music has been generally the same but the lyrics hit rock bottom with that song " Bittu padam dee " from the film Trisha Illana Nayanthara.

I wonder why any of the so called guardians of tamil language or tamil culture did not protest at the words that equated women to po*n film. A brilliant music composer G.V. prakash has resorted to this song to place him in the hero category. A seriously bad actor who seems to covet the hero image and the movie being a hit tells you clearly in whose hands the future of the tamil industry is.

Tv seriala vittu cinemavukku vandha inge enna velanguthu. I am now sure that i will get busy in films only after i hit late 50's and 60's and i look old.until then i am going to just be patient and keep doing the same thing i have been doing the past four years after finishing my lead role in maharani.

Aahaa Kathal Vandhu -valiyavan

Adiye Azhage - oru naal koothu

Eppo Varuvaaro - oru naal koothu

Yaeli Yaeli - oru naal koothu

Alunguraen Kulunguraen -chandi veeran

Ammadi Un Azhagu - VELLAKARA DURAI

Aye Sinamika - O KADHAL KANMANI

Naane Varugiren- O KADHAL KANMANI

Devathai - poojai

Verarum -Poojai

Oorellaam Unnai Kandu - Nanbenda

Ennodu Nee Irundhaal-I

Pookkalae Sattru Oyivedungal -I

Hey Umayaal -urumeen

Idhayathai Yedho Ondru -Yennai arindhaal

Innimey Ippadithaan - Innimey Ippadithaan

Irukkirai -IDHU ENNA MAYAM

Iravaaga Nee -IDHU ENNA MAYAM

Kannaane Kanne - naanum rowdythaan

Redemption-chapter 22

"I dreamed of you every night. It felt so real. And when I'd wake up the next morning, it was like your disappearance was fresh. Like you'd left me all over again." ? Brodi Ashton

A famous spiritual teacher came to the front door of the King's palace.
None of the guards tried to stop him as he entered and made his way to where the King himself was sitting on his throne.
"What do you want?" asked the King, immediately recognizing the visitor.
"I would like a place to sleep in this inn," replied the teacher.
"But this is not an inn," said the King, "It is my palace."
"May I ask who owned this palace before you?"
"My father. He is dead."
"And who owned it before him?"
"My grandfather. He too is dead."
"And this place where people live for a short time and then move on - did I hear you say that it is not an inn?"


A flickering candle in a raging storm

Rudran sat in the rear of the white innova and told the ola cab driver where to go and he was informed that since it was morning and traffic had already started piling up it would take at least an hour or more to reach where he wanted to go.

Rudran smiled and requested the driver to drive carefully since he was just going home and was in no big hurry to reach there.Just like it happens to almost all of us,sleep,deep sleep slowly took him in its calming embrace and held him there in its coils and rudran drifted away,far away to another time to another place.

He dreamnt of bhairav and saw him running away after the ball which he had smashed into the next compound.He saw his brothers feet running away on the grass lawn and then swiftly making his way up the huge wall that separated them from the next compound.

" sir,sir.Sorry,but you have to wake up sir."

Rudran roused himself from the deep sleep he had fallen into and instantly came awake.

The driver turned and looked at him and said " sir,from the gps location when you booked the cab i think i have come correctly to the street which you had marked.But the road is blocked and they want to know which house i am going to ? "

Rudran nodded okay and turned to his right and saw through the window that a sub-inspector was standing there.

He pressed the button on the arm rest and the window on his side slowly whirred down and the sub-inspector bent down and looked into rudrans eyes which were covered by his dark ray ban coolers.

" Sir,entha veetukku poreengennu solle mudiyuma."

Rudran removed the goggles and stared into the eyes of the sub-inspector who was already feeling nervous about being placed for duty in this high profile area in which only the super rich made their homes.

Rudran told him the house no and then the Sub-inspector asked to see some Id.

Rudran was slightly irritated and with no other go took out the only id he had and that was his ACP,SPECIAL DESIGNATION DELHI POLICE ID.

The sub inspector had got an inkling the second he had gazed into rudran's eyes and now on seeing the Id he immediately stood erect and saluted stiffly.Then he ran towards the constables yelling for them to open the barricades and allow the rudran's vehicle to pass through.

The white innova slowly made its way through the tree lined road and the driver gently came to the left and halted outside rudran's house.

Rudran paid him 500 rs and although the charges came to 440 rs asked the driver to keep the change.

The driver an old man in his late 50's thanked him humbly and got out of the car as a mark of respect and waited for rudran to get down from the vehicle.

Rudran got down and was about to start walking towards his gate when the driver " sir,sir,one minute."

Rudran turned and looked at him.

The driver hesitantly and nervously " sir.You must be somebody very important for that cop to salute you.So please don't get angry with what i am about to tell you."

Rudran was confused and yet curious and he nodded to the driver " yes."

The driver " sir,on the way here from the hospital you fell into a deep sleep.While in that sleep,you kept whispering something.I could not make out much of it but i heard a name and a few other words."

Rudran was slightly embarrassed and wondered what he might have mumbled in his sleep for this was a first for him and that too having to hear it from a stranger.

The driver " sir, you said something that sounded like rudra,start from the beginning.The answer is in the beginning and i wait for you there in the time and place where it all started.come.come soon."

Rudran was stunned and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead and neck.

He nodded and mumbling a thank you turned and opening the gate went into his house.


"I think we dream so we don't have to be apart for so long. If we're in each other's dreams, we can be together all the time." A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Originally posted by: s.satishkumar

The driver " sir, you said something that sounded like rudra,start from the beginning.The answer is in the beginning and i wait for you there in the time and place where it all started.come.come soon."
Rudran was stunned and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead and neck.

Redemption-chapter 23

It had been a few months since he had been gone.The younger one had gone into a shell and appeared to everyone as a zombie.He hardly spoke a word.The family doctor told the mother that twins more than other siblings feel the pain and loss of the one they were born with.This is because their love starts together in the womb and it is a special one and it is even more powerful than the bonds of a mother and child.

But things became worse as her only remaining son started falling sick and since it was his soul that had fallen ill there was nothing anybody could do.It was as if he was shutting down all his systems of life and was getting ready to die.

In sheer panic and under the advice of a close family member the parents decided to drive down to krishnagiri to the kala bhairavar temple to pray to their family deity.The boy was too tired to walk and so his dad carried him and made him sit in the presence of the presiding god bhairavar and went to talk to the head priest about conducting a grand pooja for the health and life of their remaining child.

The boy sat slumped and leaning against the ancient rock pillar of the temple which was nearly a 1000 years old.He did not even notice or acknowledge the man who came and stood next to him.But the corner of his left eye caught the mans feet with overgrown nails.The boy slowly turned and looked up at the stranger and found a black man in a strange costume and holding a huge iron trishul.His whole body was covered with ashes and his hair was matted and hung in a mess touching the ground.

The man slowly crouched near the boy and laughed " so much pain and a wish to die so young.Yet you have so much to give,so much to do and so many more to protect."

The setting sun in the west dipped below and its orange blaze entered the temple premises and lit the deity of kala bhairavar.The angry light reflected of the god and fell on the boy and the strange looking man gazed into the boys eyes now blazing with fire.

" Rise rudra.rise now and know that you are bhairava himself.He who you think has gone has not gone and lives in you.Hear his voice,hear his gentle whispers calling to you in love."

The man whispered this and slowly took some ash and rubbed it on the boys forehead and quietly left.

We believe in miracles for they are true.we believe in magic because we have faith in the all knowing.

Rudran rose leaving behind the pain and desperation and slowly went and stood before the angry god.

" Why do i have to go on when he is no more.Why couldn't you have taken me instead.How will i go on?"

Bhairav spoke " i am gone but am i not still in your heart and soul.Don't you want to know why i went away or the circumstances in which we were torn apart.I will wait for you.come.come soon."

The parents came back and were shocked and happy to see rudran standing there and he saw them and said happily " bhairav is here.he is not gone.he waits for me and i am going to see him soon."


Rudran stood in the house holding his brothers photo as the memories came flooding back and the emotions were too much to bear even for his immense strength and he sank into the sofa hugging his brothers photo to his chest.

Om Bhairava Rudraya
Maha Rudraya
Kaala Rudraya
Kalpanta Rudraya
Veera Rudraya
Rudra Rudraya
Gora Rudraya
Aghora Rudraya
Maarthanda Rudraya
Anda Rudraya
Brahmanda Rudraya
Chanda Rudraya
Prachanda Rudraya
Thanda Rudraya
Soora Rudraya
Veera Rudraya
Bhava Rudraya
Bheema Rudraya
Athala Rudraya
Vithala Rudraya
Suthala Rudraya
Mahathala Rudraya
Rasathala Rudraya
Talatala Rudraya
Pathala Rudraya
Namo Namaha


Om Sivoham Om Sivoham Rudra Naamam Bajeham
Om Sivoham Om Sivoham Rudra Naamam Bajeham

Veerabadraya Agni Nethraya Gora Samhaaraka
Sakala Lokaaya Sarva Boothaya Sathya Saakshatkara
Shambo Shambo Shankara
Om Sivoham Om Sivoham Rudra Naamam Bajeham


We all come here on to this illusion called life with a purpose and then again a higher purpose,a secret,a destination of which only the all mighty knows.why do certain things happen only at certain times.Why do we meet a certain person out of the blue and they come with help and answers for questions which you were struggling to answer.

Magic,miracles and they are worth believing and worth living for.

Redemption-chapter-24

"Great heroes need great sorrows and burdens, or half their greatness goes unnoticed. It is all part of the fairy tale."? Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn


Karna tried to lift the wheel of his chariot out of the mud and at the same time tried to shoot arrows at arjun. But arjun rained arrows on karna and soon several dozen were sticking out from all over his body.Blood gushed out of his body like spurting hot springs and slowly the mighty man started to weaken and yet he did not let his bow fall to the ground.Arjun amazed at the great warriors fighting spirit turned to say something to Lord krishna and was shocked to see tears on the gods face.In panic he asked krishna why he was crying and if he should stop trying to kill karna.Lord krishna smiled and said " fool,your arrows cannot kill him.They might just finish the job which was started by his mother and that which has been helped along by fate and many others.I cry because he is laying down his last breath to protect and defend in the name of friendhsip.But even now he cannot be killed for the very life that i give and sustain in all lives is protecting him and only i can take it from him."

Saying these words Lord krishna slowly descended from the chariot and went towards Karna.


While the lion sleeps

The black Bmw halted outside the famous school and the time was 4.00 p.m and the school gates opened and boys of all sizes rushed out dressed in whites and blues.Yellow school buses started filling up and moving away and the two of them happily discussing the day got into the car and were surprised to see a stranger sitting along with their driver.

The driver " ennoda family member.He is going the same way we are going and will get off soon.Please don't tell the boss."

The two boys did not make a fuss over it and the car sped away and they immersed themselves in games on their Tabs.The driver gave them cans of cokes which both the kids were only happy to take and drink for they were not allowed to drink any colas in their home.

In seconds the coke,more importantly what was mixed in the drink took effect and the boys slumped into unconsciousness.The black Bmw sped into a small lane where the driver was knocked out with a few heavy blows to his head and neck and left bleeding and the stranger opened the door and the boys were transferred to another large vehicle and vanished into the city.

The Madras Golf club was established in 1877 after the Royal Calcutta Golf Course (RCGC) which was established in 1829 and the Bangalore Golf Club (BGC) which went on stream in 1876.

Originally started from the Island Grounds, the course was shifted to Guindy sometime around 1887. The Guindy Golf course originally had 9 holes and graduated to 14 holes and then to 16 before becoming a full fledged 18 hole golf course. Originally played off the browns, the transformation to greens was not to happen until the 1980s. All along, Guindy Golf course was known for its roughs, the tall and prickly grass bordering most fairways which posed a challenge to golfers with the ever changing wind.Col Ross Thompson was the first Captain of the golf club and in the year 1878, the first inter-club competition between MGC and BGC teed off. This remains to date the world's oldest such continuing competition between two golf clubs. In the year 2002, the golf club celebrated 125 years of golf, a feat very few golf clubs outside of Great Britain can boast of. Many things may have changed over the years, but the Madras Gymkhana Golf Annexe breathes the history of golf in India every time the wind sweeps across the vast expanse of open land.

Kandaswamy mudaliayar stood still in total concentration as he was ready to putt the ball into the hole.It was just four feet to the drop but he knew the grass on this club pretty well for he had lost a lot of plays to his playing partner over the decades.Two and if time permitted three times a week he and Rahul Agarwal,CEO of AGARWAL group of companies met here at four p.m to play an hour of golf before returning to their offices.Kandaswamy and rahul agarwal were childhood friends and that meant they discussed everything under the sun and also meant that he was the only one in the world who dared to still call him gundappan, a tag which came to be for kandaswamy mudaliyar had been slightly obese during the school years.

" Dei gundu,putt da machaa.You know it is not going in and so this week also as always the drinks are on you."

Kandaswamy gave him a stern look " Paavi.I agree i was fat during those days.But it is not fair that you call me gundu even now.I am sorry to disappoint you but this is going on and your winning streak is coming to an end right now.Drinks on me he says, the rasogulla moonji."

Rahul agarwal as his name denotes was part of the agarwal sweets family but in a distant manner.Kandaswamy mudaliyar teased him by calling him rasogulla moonji becuase rahul loved rasogullas and used to stuff his face with five or six of them.

Just as kandaswamy was about to putt rahul agarwal's caddy came running with the phone extended saying it was important.Rahul knew it was important for he had five phones and this particular I phone was just for family calls and they wouldn't be calling if it was not some emergency.

Rahul looked apologetically at kandaswamy who gently whispered " take the call.Family comes first even before our golf time."

Rahul with a worried face said hello.And the word hello was followed by okay,teek hai,okay,i will wait for the call.dont worry,it will be all right."

Rahul agarwal crumpled to the floor breaking down in tears and kandaswamy rushed to his side " hey rahul.what was the call about.Is it some medical emergency."

Rahul looked at kandaswamy " no da.My two grandsons have been kidnapped.My daughter called to inform me that they want to talk to me directly about the ransom and did not say anything else.They threatened to kill the children if i even think about going to the police for help."

The same I phone Rahul agarwal reserved for only family calls rang and he answered it.

" Mr.rahul listen to me very carefully.Get ten crores ready and i will call you back in an hour with instructions on where to drop it.One word to the cops and your children will be sent you to in pieces and that too one toe and one finger at a time.For a man of your status and wealth,ten crores is nothing.So don't make any stupid moves and do as instructed.Wait for my call."

Rahul agarwal by now totally broken down and frightened cried " okay.okay.i will do whatever you want me to do.please dont hurt the children."

But things always dont go as planned and a house owner seeing a Bmw blocking his house entrance and taking up half the street with its huge bulk called the traffic police who came with their two truck.But seeing a bleeding person in the car with facial injuries alerted the crime department who with the registration of the Bmw and with the drivers words put together what had happened.Things got messy when a stupid and a corrupt constable not knowing the seriousness of the situation made a call to the local news channel who like vultures were waiting for breaking news.In a matter of minutes the news channel flashed the news that the grandchildren of a top business man had been kidnapped and well every other channel followed suit and in a matter of hours even national channels were flashing the news and chennai was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
A matter that could have been quietly handled was bungled in the worst possible manner and the lives of two innocent children were now at stake.

Rudran lay fast asleep while the world outside continued with its madness and mayhem.Rudran lay fast asleep without even knowing that this might be the last time he would sleep so peacefully for a very long time.
For soon a hero would be called to action and to protect and defend.


"Every society needs heroes. And every society has them. The reason we don't often see them is because we don't bother to look.There are two kinds of heroes. Heroes who shine in the face of great adversity, who perform an amazing feat in a difficult situation. And heroes who live among us, who do their work unceremoniously, unnoticed by many of us, but who make a difference in the lives of others.
Heroes are selfless people who perform extraordinary acts. The mark of heroes is not necessarily the result of their action, but what they are willing to do for others and for their chosen cause. Even if they fail, their determination lives on for others to follow. The glory lies not in the achievement, but in the sacrifice."
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono