*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4 - Page 101

Vaanathai Pola 89

Father and Mother looked at their daughter with a bit of sadness the moment she mentioned the name Raman for both knew that she had loved him very much and Sharadha not sure if she should or not enquired as to how Raman was doing and if he was in Chennai.

' It has been such a long time since we met him and his family and I was actually wanting to ask you if you had met them recently.'

Kavita knew exactly what the nature of her mother's question was and replied, ' I last met him here with both of you when he dropped in to say bye and left to Delhi. That was three weeks ago. But, I met Jeeva today and she was with me during that attack but not Raman for she told me that he was not in the country right now.'

If the fears about Raman being the cause and reason behind her lips were cleared, it only made Sharadha Arumugam became even more worried as her mind tried to conjure another reason behind her daughters slightly bruised lip and the panic that filled her eyes were visible to both Kavita and her husband who gently tapped his wife's arm with the magazine that he had been reading and said, ' It is okay Sharadha. I am glad that she is back in one piece. So, there is no need for you to panic and try to conceal the news about what took place at the Crowne Plaza hotel.'

Pointing to the chair in front of him he asked Kavita to sit down and then looked at Sharadha, ' I thought you were going to get some coffee for her and also for me.'

Sharadha looked at him anxiously and he smiled and nodded and said' yes, to the Rava Kesari too in case you were in any kind of doubt' and both of them saw his expression change a bit and into one which meant his word was final and he added, ' make it quick.'

He picked up the small silver bell that was on the trolley near him and shook it once and the male attendant who was seated outside came running in. Minister Durai Pandi Arumugam told him to shut the door and looked at Kavita and said, ' Tell me everything about what happened at that hotel.'

Vaanathai Pola 90

There is your father and the love that you both share and then there is that man who looks at you and you know that he is seeing right into your soul and sees everything.

Just like her mother who had left them alone and had retreated quietly, Kavita too sat next to her dad and told him everything.

Everything, but who Radhu was and how they had met each other.

Durai Pandi Arumugam sat quietly without any questions, absorbing everything that Kavita had just told him and then both of them heard the door open and saw Sharadha walk in with a tray that held coffee and the sweet that her husband had requested and served them both and stood quietly besides them.

Durai Pandi asked her to sit down and then reaching for the sweet eagerly, began to eat it with great relish and soon wiped the plate clean and sighing with pleasure, placed the plate and spoon on the trolled next to him.

' I am a diabetic and I have been suffering with it for many a year now. I have just recovered from a heart attack and after having undergone bypass surgery have been promised a few more years now, if..' pointing to the empty plate that had held his favourite sweet, ' if I control my diet and if I deprive myself of all that which makes for a good life.'

He looked at the two most important women in his life with a smile, ' what kind of life is one which means having to let go of even the smallest pleasures in life. How worthy is it in the end and what difference will it make to me and to things in general in the grand scale of life?'

Kavita had never heard her dad speak in this manner, reflective and in such a deep manner and she gently reached and touched his hand, ' But, what about me and mum?'

Durai Pandi looked at her in a curious manner, 'what about you and my wife, Kavita? is my life only about you and your mother and not about me and my little desires and needs, too? Am I supposed to starve myself of everything that is called life and live like a prisoner, deprived and depressed? Is that the life you want for me, and is that the life that you would want for yourself? Answer me and honestly, please.'

Sharadha looked at him sadly, ' How is one supposed to counter this kind of logic and reasoning?'

' We all have one life. We all are given a little time and if blessed, a purpose along with it. I have lived my life well and have hopefully completed my purpose.'

The last rays of the sun illuminated their room they were in with its light through the window and shed its rays and grace on all their faces and Durai Pandi gazed fondly at his only child and asked her, ' Do you trust me, Kavita?'

' Appa, what do you mean by that? Of course, I trust you and completely.'

' If that is so, then tell me what is this new change that has come upon you and why it started from yesterday?'

Like anyone of us whose eyes go wide and momentarily freeze when a vehicle coming towards us hits us with its high beam headlights, Kavita too froze and just stared at her dad unable to say anything.

' It is not Raman for we all know that is over and was just an illusion that you were seeing and also he is not here in the city. That being the case, then someone has reached into you, touched you and in the process lit the candle in your soul for I noticed it yesterday itself but did not want to talk about it and intrude into your privacy. But more importantly, did not want to ruin your happiness and the great mood you were in then and also right now.'

Sharadha looked at her husband with new eyes and new understanding and both of them looked at their daughter for an answer.

Minster Durai Pandi gently took Kavita's hand and enveloped it in his and asked her in a soft voice, ' Is he the same person who boldly took on those thugs in the hotel today?'

Kavita nodded and her father asked her, ' who is this man? what is his name?'

' Radha Krishnan.'

Radhu stood on the fourth floor of the Apollo Hospital where he was being treated and was being kept overnight for supervision and looked at Chennai as the night covered it with a black blanket.

' The night sky with stars twinkling faintly overhead on the city that is drowning in its own darkness in which all its lights shine so brightly like the morning sun.'

He heard the door open softly and saw a high ranking police officer walk towards him and turned to face him.

The police officer's eyes saw all the scars on the body of the man who stood facing him without the slightest hint of emotion on his face and introduced himself, ' Good evening Mr.Radha Krishnan. I am Chennai's Commissioner of police and my name is Viswanathan.'

All of us want to go to heaven. But, none of us want to die.

Why, because, dying means, it is all over.Period.End. Nada. Clean bowled.

Why, because, none of us know for certain, if one is eligible, to enter heaven.

Why, because even if most of us believe in God, none of us are sure or have enough faith in God and still doubt if it will be there when we die.

Why, because most of us know that dying means, lights out and secretly tell ourselves that it is the truth and there is no escaping it.

Why, because in our own mammoth false ego we humans want to live, exist in that ego even after death and are unwilling to surrender to earth and its elements that will either burn by fire or decompose by soil.

My thought about death is that it is all just build-up as we watch in terror, the doctor with the syringe that he is going to shove into the fleshy part of your B.M and even as adults we close our eyes and wince and then it is over and we watch the doctor look at you and smirk and say, ' Babies are much better than you adults.'

The doctor I refer here is God.

The sounds of silence-1

Silence. Nearly as silent as a grave-yard and that familiar silence, my constant companion as I am hunched over my keypad typing in my thoughts and the chapter for the day has extended its visit to the entire duration of the day.

Yes. Ever since the lockdown began, the streets have taken a deserted look and the silence is broken just by a few two-wheelers who are on their early morning routine of delivering milk, papers and chicken.

I stood staring at the black and red box on the scooter and stood trying to make sense of the sticker that advertized its name " Tender cuts" and I thought to myself, what is or how can there be tenderness when you slice and dice a chicken.

A tender kiss, Tender hug, Tender love but the word tender for a dead chicken. That chicken has now the opportunity to talk about its problem with its creator, the so-called tender God

You all know my routine by now and that I silently steal away from my house and drift away to enjoy my stolen solitary moments as my feet does the running and looks after the business end of my physical health while my eyes and lips together with my thoughts, sing and dance for the health of my soul.

One has to experience it for themselves what I write about and believe me, it is not a dream that I describe, so lovingly and yes, gratefully.

Just you and the dark road in the remaining darkness before dawn arrives. Just you and your music. Just you and your thoughts and your memories.

Rewind.Relive.Recollect and rejoice.

வீட்டில் சும்மா இருந்தால் என்னென்ன நடக்கும். என் நண்பர் பண்ணிய வேலை

———————————

சிவன்: நக்கீரரே! எமது பாட்டில் எங்கு குற்றம் கண்டீர்? சொற்சுவையிலா? அல்லது பொருட்சுவையிலா?

நக்கீரர்: சொல்லில் குற்றமில்லை. இருந்தாலும் அது மன்னிக்கப்படலாம். பொருளில்தான் குற்றமிருக்கிறது.

சிவன் : என்ன குற்றம் கண்டீர்?

நக்கீரர் : எங்கே தாங்கள் இயற்றிய செய்யுளைச் சொல்லும்?

சிவன் : தின்பதோ வாழ்க்கை வேலை வேறில்லை தம்பி

ஓமம் சேர்க்காமல் கண்டதும் உளதே

கடுகும், பருப்பும், மிளகாயும் சேர்த்து

எண்ணெயில் தாளித்த பாவையே! இதை விடுத்து

வேறுண்டோ நீயறியும் ரவா உப்புமாவே!

நக்கீரர் : இப்பாட்டின் உட்பொருள்?

சிவன் : நாடார் கடையில் உள்ள மளிகைப் பொருட்களை எல்லாம் வரிசையாக வாங்கிக் குவிக்கும் பெண்ணே! நீ கண்ட பொருட்களில் ரவாவைப்போல் வேறு அரியவகைப் பொருள் உண்டோ! அதில் நீ செய்த ரவா உப்புமாவிற்குத்தான் ஈடு இணை உண்டோ? என்பதே இதன் பொருள்.

நக்கீரர் : இப்பாட்டிலிருந்து எம்மன்னருக்குத் தாங்கள் கூறும் முடிவு?

சிவன் : ஹஹஹா! புரியவில்லை? பெண்களுக்கு இயற்கையிலேயே ரவா உப்புமா செய்யும் ஆற்றல் உண்டு என்பதுதான் நான் கூறும் முடிவு.

நக்கீரர் : ஒருக்காலும் இருக்க முடியாது. அன்னையிடம் சமையல் நன்றாகக் கற்றுக் கொள்வதாலும், தொடர்ந்து சமையல் செய்யத் தெரிந்திருந்தால் மட்டுமே இது சாத்தியம்.

சிவன் : தேவலோகப் பெண்களுக்கு?

நக்கீரர் : அவர்களுக்கும்தான்

சிவன் : சாப்பிட்டு சாப்பிட்டுத் தூங்கித் தூங்கி வழிகிறானே கும்பகர்ணன்? அவன் மனைவிக்கும் இதே கதிதானோ?

நக்கீரர் : அவளென்ன! நான் அன்றாடம் என் நினைவில் வைத்திருக்கும் சமையற்கலை வல்லுனன் நளமகராஜனின் இடப்பக்கம் அமர்ந்துள்ள தமயந்திக்கும் இதே கதிதான்.

சிவன் : அங்காடியில் விழுந்து புரண்டு அரிசியும் பருப்பும் தலையில் சுமந்து டெபிட் கார்டில் உள்ள மினிமம் பேலன்ஸும் கரைத்து வீட்டிற்கு சென்று ஏன் தாமதமாக வந்தாய் என பல்பு வாங்கும் கீரனோ எம் கவியை ஆராய்ந்து சொல்லத் தக்கவன்?

நக்கீரன் : பல்பு வாங்குவது எங்கள் குலம்,

சங்கரனார்க்கு ஏது குலம்? – பல்பை

டெஸ்ட் செய்து வாங்குவோம்! உன்னைப் போல்

ஃப்யூஸ் போன பல்பாக ஒரு போதும் இருக்க மாட்டோம்!!

சிவன் : நக்கீரா! நன்றாக என்னைப் பார். நான் எழுதிய தமிழ்ப் பாட்டில் குற்றமா?

நக்கீரர் : நீரே முக்கண் முதல்வராயும் ஆகுக. உமது நெற்றியில் ஒருகண் காட்டிய போதும் உடம்பெல்லாம் கண்ணாக்கி சுட்ட போதிலும் குற்றம் குற்றமே! "நெற்றிக் கண் திறப்பினும் குற்றம் குற்றமே"

சிவன் : நக்கீ. . . . . .ரா!

மன்னர் : இறைவா! சொக்கநாதா! ஜோதிச் சுடரே! ஆராயாமல் எதிர்வாதம் செய்த நக்கீரனை மன்னிக்க வேண்டும். விலை மதிப்பற்ற எங்கள் தலைமைப் புலவனை மீண்டும் உயிர் பெறச் செய்ய வேண்டும்.

சிவன் : செண்பகப் பாண்டியா! சினம் இல்லை எமக்கு. வேதனையை விடு. எமது விளையாட்டுக்களில் இதுவும் ஒன்று. கொதிக்கும் ரேஷன் கடை பாமாயிலை மேலே ஊற்றியதால் ஏற்பட்ட காயத்தின் வெம்மை தாளாமல் அவதியுறும் நக்கீரர் நலமுடன் எழுந்து வருவார்.

நக்கீரர் : இறைவா! பரம்பொருளே!

உப்பும் நீயே!

பருப்பும் நீயே!

கோல்டு வின்னரும் நீயே!

பாசுமதி ரைஸும் நீயே!

கத்தரிக்காயும் நீயே!

புடலங்காயும் நீயே!

வெங்காயமும் நீயே!

தக்காளியும் நீயே!

அறியாமல் வாதம் செய்த என்னை மன்னியுங்கள்.

சிவன் : நக்கீரரே! உம் தமிழோடு விளையாடவே யாம் வந்தோம். வந்திருப்பது இறையென்றறிந்தும் சாப்பாட்டின் மீது உங்களுக்கிருந்த பற்றின் காரணமாக "நெற்றிக் கண் திறப்பினும் குற்றம் குற்றமே" என்று வாதிட்ட உங்கள் வாதம் வெகு சூப்பர்!

Dedicated to all upma lovers

Vaanathai Pola 91

“Evil itself may be relentless but love is relentless too. Friendship is a relentless force. Family is a relentless force. Faith is relentless force. The human spirit is relentless, and the human heart outlasts - and can defeat - even the most relentless force of all, which is time.”― Dean Koontz

' Hello sir.'

Many questions filled with doubts were swirling in Commissioner Viswanathan's head and his police instinct was throwing up warnings of the man who stood before him, but drowning them all, he too said, ' Hello.'

' How are you feeling now? The doctor told me that the injury to your back was a pretty nasty one and that it was made worse by the poison that was on the blade and yet here you stand before me, all well and in one piece when the same injury would have crippled a normal man and would have bed-ridden him for at least a few weeks at the most.'

Radhu smiled and shrugged his shoulders and turning his back to the commissioner resumed staring down at the city of Chennai.

Commissioner Viswanathan joined him near the window and he too looked at the city that spread before him and ran away into the horizon.

' Mr.Radha Krishanan, do you realize that you have put yourself in harm's way by taking on those three men at the hotel, especially the man called Selvam.'

Radhu nodded and said, ' I was told about him and his father and their links to the ruling party of this state.'

Then he turned and looked at the Commissioner and asked, ' It would not have made any difference even if I had known that before I got involved in the attack.'

' Who are you?'

' I am a nobody and of no particular importance to you.'

' No, you are not a nobody for a nobody would not have had the guts to do what you did.'

Radhu looked at the Commissioner who continued, ' knowing how to fight is one thing but fighting under pressure and reacting under deadly circumstances is a totally different matter altogether.'

' I am sorry commissioner but I think that you are reading too much into this incident. I did what any man would have done under those circumstances and when his loved ones are being threatened.'

' Yes, but none of the other men reacted the way that you reacted and none of the men displayed the skills that you displayed while taking down those three men.'

Radhu smiled, ' what can I say? maybe it was a fluke or just plain luck on my part that things happened the way they happened.'

Commissioner Viswanathan stared at him and Radhu stared back and then his face slowly softened and he said, ' Sir, Try and imagine what would have happened if I had not been there. Those three would have killed the man they had come to kill and probably would have also hurt others in the process, including their targets wife, that Swedish lady and not to forget, the minister who was present there. Imagine your plight if she too had been attacked and tell me how you would have explained it to your bosses.'

If he thought that his words would allay the cops fears, Radhu realized that he had thought wrong for the commissioner asked him something that he had not expected at all.

' What is your connection to Minister Kavita Arumugam? How do you know her, Mr.Radha Krishnan?'

Radhu had no other option but to lie and evade and he lied, ' I don't know her and only met her for the first time there at that hotel.'

' That being the case, Mr.Radha Krishnan, then please tell me what you were doing in that private function that was meant only for her and her alumni and was a very personal function in nature and that was held in secret.'

Radhu smiled and cursed under his breath for he knew by experience that a lie would lead to more lies to cover that lie and in the end would end up a total disaster for the person telling those lies.

He looked at Commissioner Viswanathan, ' like I said earlier, I am a nobody and I will be gone soon and you will not have to worry about me after that.'

' Soon, why do you use that specific word, soon, Mr.Radha Krishnan. Does that mean that you are in my city on some personal agenda or some assignment?'

The sounds of silence-2

The first few days after the lockdown began, the silence was oppressive and claustrophobic even, and my rather wimpy fertile imagination made me see shadows inside shadows and movements inside them. Bandicoots and black cats and their puzzled expressions were clear enough as to what they thought of wimpy me.

The regulars, old people, really old people stumbled, shuffled along not bothered in the least about the lockdown and stuff like stay at home and one old lady told me with a wistful smile, ' I have been in lockdown and quarantine for a few decades now after my husband passed away and my kids are abroad. So, it makes no difference for me and my routine.'

And she was in her late 70s and I thought and gasped in horror as I moved away from her thinking that my life as an actor has been somewhat similar to that of the old lady for many years now.

One of the most significant changes in content that people have been sending me via WhatsApp, be it text, pics or video has had to with marriage and couples have been coping with each other during the lockdown.

A normal routine would involve the husband going off to work and the wife too if she too is working by 8.00 am only to return late in the evening and sit around like a zombie, eat dinner and crash into bed. safe zone and alone time from morning to evening and good for both of them.

But, now under an extended lockdown situation, things have changed and there is no safe zone or alone time, recuperating time for people who hardly saw each other but during the weekends.

Now, they stare at each other all day and all night long and throw in pesky brats and nagging oldies into the mix and well, you have a volatile situation about to happen.

People seem to be reacting to this lockdown as if they have been cornered and that they have their backs against the wall.

That seems to be the gist and common theme in all the forwards that are being sent to me.

Me, what do I do?

Pottatha saaptu, ellathaiyum moodikittu, orama okkanthu pozhappa nadatharen. Nalla thaan poikittirukku.

Vaanathai Pola 92

There are a lot of good men, decent men in this world and then beyond them, there are the ones who only think about the good of others and always place others before themselves.

Radhu was an unknown quantity for Commissioner Viswanathan but for Radhu, the senior cop was not an unknown quantity.

Radhu had met many such decent, hard-working people in his life who spent their lives and careers worrying about the world and its safety. So, with that in mind, Radhu repeated, ' I am a nobody and you have nothing to fear from me. That is all that I have to say for now.'

' Fair enough, Mr.Radha Krishnan but you realize that I have a city to protect and people to report to and you are right in the middle of this problem that is threatening to blow up in the Chief Ministers face.'

Cursing in Tamil, Commissioner Viswanathan continued, ' If that was now enough, you have also placed Kavita and her family in danger and that is what breaks my heart for only now they are slowly recovering from the problems that their political rival Vaidyanathan created for them through his connections in delhi.'

Radhu angrily, ' what do you mean when you say that I have placed Kavita and her family in danger? How is that possible?'

Commissioner Viswanathan looked at the man's face and it struck him that Kavita was indeed a personal and sensitive topic for him and stored that information away and said, ' The man that you kicked is the son of a very powerful man, both in politics and caste. He is the leader of the Thevar community and it is only obvious that he had sent his son to attack or probably even kill Anbu Chezhiyan.'

' why? what has this man Anbu done to deserve so much hatred from this community?'

Commissioner Viswanathan searched Radhu's eyes to see if he was acting or somehow trying to bullshit him but he could see no such hidden agendas in the man's eyes and again stored that information for later use and said,' even a tiny bug living under a rock knows about the age-old hatred and rivalry that lies between the Thevars and the Dalit communities and among other communities in this stupid country.

Now, all that hatred that man Jagatratchagan nurses for Anbu Chezhiyan, he will transfer it to those around him and will not spare anyone.'

Radhu angrily spat, ' surely, you cops can arrest this man and try to reason with him and try to broker peace between these warring communities.'

' We are doing that and right now as we speak, officials from my department and from the government are in the process of meeting this man, Jagatratchagan.'

Commissioner Viswanathan realizing that there was nothing more to gain from talking to this man decided that he would leave and said, ' Mr.Radha Krishnan, there is just a piece of advice that I would like to offer you and that which I hope you will keep in mind when you act again and also in all your interactions with Minister Kavita Arumugam.'

Radhu wondering what this new line of approach was looked at the commissioner who said, ' Kavita is protected person and has a powerful guardian and he is a man who will stop at nothing when it comes to protecting his family and he looks on Kavita as part of his family. Please don't do anything silly and bring yourself to his attention. Just finish what you have come for and leave quietly.'

His gaze now turned serious when he said, ' this is the advice of an older man and also a request from me as the Commissioner of police.'

From the Washington Post "Book Club."

At the age of 29, a Time magazine writer named Pico Iyer decided to leave his exciting life in New York City and spend a year in a single room in Kyoto, Japan. It seemed like an eccentric, career-ending move, but Iyer felt convinced that he wanted to explore something quiet and interior.

He mentions that youthful experiment in a thoughtful little book he published in 2014 called “The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere.” Quarantined for the past month, I’ve been feeling like I’m “going nowhere” — but without the transcendental insights.

This week, I sent Iyer a whiny note about the trials of being stuck at home, and he graciously responded with the humble wisdom that readers have come to appreciate from him. “All of us are most concerned about those without homes or resources and the ill,” he said. “But for those of us lucky enough to be safe, so far, and maybe to have jobs to return to, or roofs over our head, I think it offers us a perfect chance to think about what really sustains us.” A crisis like this, he suggests, can provide a moment of clarity on what really ails us. “My sense is that many of us have been living out of balance in recent years, with much more data than we have time to make sense of, with much more distraction than can ever make us happy, and with so much clutter in our heads or in our calendars that we can't lay our hands on what is most essential.” If you’re caring for others and struggling to make ends meet, you may think that stillness is a luxury you can’t afford, but Iyer claims it’s a necessity as crucial as food or exercise.

As you might expect from a personal friend of the Dalai Lama, Iyer insists that we always have the power to determine how we respond to challenges. “Treat this moment as a chance to take a break,” he says, “so as to return to your life with clearer direction and a more definite sense of priorities.”

Vaanathai Pola 93

Madurai police commissioner S Davidson Devasirvatham, IPS,1995 batch who had just been upgraded from the post of IG to ADGP rank stood waiting for his boss, Jalad K. Tripathy, Director-General of Police and the Head of Police Force for the state of Tamil Nadu.

The Indigo flight bringing his boss from Chennai had just landed and it was going to be a matter of minutes before he came out and ADGP Davidson Devasirvatham stood with his hands behind his back wondering why the top cop had come to Madurai and that too without any advance notice.

Just an hour earlier, ADGP Davidson had been in his room when his mobile phone had rung and had answered it immediately for it was from his boss and listened carefully as DGP J.K.Tripathy had spoken and very briefly, ' Good afternoon David. I am boarding the flight to Madurai and I will be there in an hours time. I want you to meet me at the airport and please come in plainclothes and come alone in an unmarked car.'

ADGP Davidson's heart that remained normal even under the toughest and scariest of situations began to pick up a bit of speed and he hurriedly asked, ' Sir, what is it, sir?'

' David, Not on the phone and I will explain it to you when I see you there.'

All the passengers on the Indigo flight from Chennai to Madurai did what normal human beings do all over the world and that was to unfasten their seatbelts, switch on their phones and try to get up even as the flight was still coming to a halt.

Then the pilot's voice spoke loud and clear and in a commanding tone, ' All passengers will remain seated for a few minutes. I repeat all passengers are requested to remain seated for security reasons.'

The word security is enough to scare the daylights out of any passenger and when that message is delivered by the pilot himself, one knows better than to ignore it.

Then all the passengers watched with mute irritation and frustration and in envy as one man stood up and pulled out a small suitcase from the overhead locker and began to walk towards the exit.

Then they all watched as the cockpit door opened and the pilot came out and saluted the man who returned the salute with a smile and vanished from their view.

One man, a small-time journalist recognised who the man had been and whispered, ' DGP Tripathy, head of the Tamil Nadu police force. Wonder, what brings him to Madurai?'

ADGP Davidson's posture went stiff, his feet came together and he raised his right hand and saluted his boss who smiled and returned the salute and both men quickly marched out of the airport and sped away in a black SUV with tinted glasses.

Superintendent of police, Manohar, the head of Madurai airport police department was just driving into the airport when he caught sight of his boss, ADGP Davidson coming towards an unmarked black Suv and wondering if he should get down and greet him, slowed the car and parked it to the side and then watched fascinatedly as he saw another man who had been closely following ADGP Davidson get into the car and he wondered aloud, ' That is the DGP himself. What is he doing here in Madurai and why wasn't I informed about his arrival as per protocol?

His cop instincts told him to report this immediately and hurriedly made the call to the number given for emergency purposes only.

Vaanathai Pola 94

Venugopal Iyengar had not driven a car in nearly two decades and yet even after all those years of sitting behind the wheel, he knew what a bloody good car vehicle he was seated in. The car seemed to glide forward on a cushion of air, even on the bumpy roads of Madurai and inside it was absolutely silent as if it was a world inside another world.

The large Mercedes swept into the gate of the house that was unofficially called the " Thevar Illam" and came to a halt outside the entrance.

Venugopal slowly got out of the vehicle and was surprised and taken aback by the man who opened the door for him as it was none other than Mookaiah Thevar himself.

He hurriedly folded both his hands and humbly bent his head and said " namaskaram."

Mookaiah Thevar too folded his hands and said " Vanakkam. Iyaa nalla irukeengala.'

' I am under your care and patronage and so romba nalla irukken. Ennakenna korai, sollunga.'

Jagatratchagan bent and touched Venugopal Iyengar's feet who blessed him heartily and then all three slowly made their way into the huge house presided by the large painting of Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar whose eyes seemed to follow all their movements.

Small talk was dispersed with and Venugopal tentatively broached the reason for him being summoned by father and son, both who were his clients.

Jagatratchagan looked at his father who nodded subtly and began to speak.

' Iyaa, I am sure that you are well aware of the problems that my family, the Thevar Community has had with that man Anbu Chezhiyan from Chennai and how he has been harassing us by taking petty problems to the high court in a futile attempt to humiliate our community.'

Venugopal Iyengar nodded, ' I am aware of all the facts for it is my firm that is handling the cases.'

Mookaiah Thevar interrupted both of them and said boldly, ' Iyaa, my Grandson Selvam went to Chennai to finish this pest of a problem and put an end to it once and for all.'

Venugopal Iyengar's eyes flared wide open and slowly he dropped them to the ground in thought and asked in a shaky voice, ' Has he finished dealing with this so-called problem and has he been arrested or is he on the run from the police?'

Both father and son looked at him with worry painted in their eyes and Mookiah Thevar replied, ' we don't know for it has been more than five hours since he last spoke to us.'

Jagatratchagan's personal mobile rang and he looked at it with surprise, for that number was hardly used and if it rang then it usually spelt trouble and with his only son not responding to his calls, he knew that something was up and answered it.

' Manohar, sollunga' and listened carefully to what was said and thanking him, ended the call and looked at his father.

' Appa, that was Sp Manohar from the airport.'

' Ennavaa.'

' He said that he saw our city commissioner ADGP Davidson with another police officer.'

Mookaiah Thevar irritatedly, ' Adhukku enna ippo.'

' Appa, the other officer was the DGP from Chennai.'

Mookaiah Thevar's forehead creased and furrowed with worry, ' DGP means J.K.Tripathy, Director-General of Police and the Head of Police Force for the state of Tamil Nadu.'

Looking at both his son and Venugopal Iyengar, he asked questioningly, ' what is he doing here?'

Venugopal Iyengar answered without hesitation, ' They are coming to meet you both and that means that Selvam is in some kind of grave danger.'