*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4

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@satish_2025

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Posted: 6 years ago

#401

Redemption 288

"Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions. Primo Levi

The Holocaust, also referred to as the Shoah, was a genocide during World War II in which Nazi Germany, aided by its collaborators, systematically murdered some six million European Jews, around two-thirds of the Jewish population of Europe, between 1941 and 1945.

Today, in the 21st century, the one question, one burning question that is repeatedly asked is " Why did the German people blindly follow Hitler and commit all those atrocities, genocide and mass plunder of wealth from all the countries that they invaded?"

A well-respected German historian has a radical new theory to explain a nagging question: Why did average Germans so heartily support the Nazis and Third Reich? Hitler, says Goetz Aly, was a "feel good dictator," a leader who not only made Germans feel important but also made sure they were well cared for by the state.

To do so, he gave them huge tax breaks and introduced social benefits that even today anchor the society. He also ensured that even in the last days of the war not a single German went hungry. Despite near-constant warfare, never once during his 12 years in power did Hitler raise taxes for working class people. He also in great contrast to World War I particularly pampered soldiers and their families, offering them more than double the salaries and benefits that American and British families received. As such, most Germans saw Nazism as a "warm-hearted" protector, says Aly, author of the new book "Hitler's People's State: Robbery, Racial War and National Socialism" and currently a guest lecturer at the University of Frankfurt. They were only too happy to overlook the Third Reich's unsavory, murderous side.

Financing such home front "happiness" was not simple and Hitler essentially achieved it by robbing and murdering others, Aly claims. Jews. Slave laborers. Conquered lands. All offered tremendous opportunities for plunder, and the Nazis exploited it fully, he says.

It is the same situation here in our country and I am talking about all these freebies such as free color television's, free mixies and grinders, free electricity, cash promise etc, etc.

The politicians in power and out of power are bribing the very people, the voters themselves and trying to get grab power and they have been succeeding for many decades now.

Can a society and its economy thrive when certain sections of the society are given quotas in everything starting from education to jobs and to even seats in the parliament and those that really deserve it and who can make a change are relegated to the shadows in the background and so generation after generation is experiencing setbacks after setbacks and with no relief in sight.

Redemption, thy name is Rudran

Inside the building, Rudran stood still scanning the dimly lit interiors for any sudden and nasty surprises that may be waiting for him and then quickly ran up the expensively carpeted stairs and reached the first floor and the only floor and made a quick but thorough search of the premises and like a stealthy leopard came back down and searched the ground floor and finding nothing now turned his attention to the stairs that went down and slowly descended into the dark abyss below for no light came from that basement portion of the building.

Boris Vanya's mobile phone vibrated and he tapped it and accessed the camera feed that was being streamed to him directly from inside the building. He was the only one with access to the cameras inside and soon he would realize that he had committed a huge blunder that would shake the foundations of the global Russian mafia empire that was just a cover for the real power hat ruled Russia in Moscow.

Boris the giant stood calmly watching the lone man run up and down and then disappear into the basement and then the cameras lost sight of him for there were no cameras installed there for privacy was more of a priority than security.

Boris tapped the 12 digit password into the security keypad, wondering how the lone man inside had managed to do the same thing for cracking a 12 digit password would take even a supercomputer, years of hard computing to do so.

" Who are you stranger, and how did you manage to enter? No worries, the night is still young and by the time I have finished skinning you alive and broken every bone in your body with my bare hands, you will have told me everything about you and your organizations who are behind all these attacks on us."

Holding the door open, he turned to Little Ivan and the head of the building security Mishka and told them " I should be done in a few minutes and by the time I come out, I want those trucks here for we have to move all the stuff in a hurry. The FBI and the NYPD will eventually get here and find just an empty house and will go back empty-handed and by that time we will have loaded our stuff into a ship and send it off to a safer destination."

Standing 6ft and 10 inches tall, he towered over all of them and growled " When I make the call to our boss in Moscow, I want it to be only good news and news of our victory. So, I am going to throw in a million dollar bonus to all of you if that is done. For I know that even if you do not put all your efforts for my sake you will do so for the sake of a million bucks."

Little Ivan, Mishka and the others stood silently and watched as Boris Vanya entered and shut the door behind him and then they got to work.

Far away, the other members of the gang were leading the FBI and the NYPD on a wild goose chase all over New York and importantly far away from Brighton beach which is also popularly called Little Odessa.

Rudran pressed the round button on the large green pad that was on the marble and the basement came alive with light and with a riot of colors and he stood stunned as creations by masters starting from the glorious Renaissance period to the 21st century modern art looked at him and it was as if they were all begging for him to take them home with him.

Rudran had spent a lot of time in some of the best museums in the world, starting with The Louvre, France, Van Gogh Museum, Netherlands, British Museum, U.K. and his laser-sharp brain remembered every one of the thousands of objects that were kept there on display for the public.

But, this two basement collection was far superior to all of them in terms of quality but in the mint condition they were in and he stood stunned and lost for any thoughts or words.

Then, his eyes caught sight of a calm face staring at him from a painting done on a panel and his brain kicked into top gear as it scanned his memory and instantly told him that he was face to face with the missing self-portrait painting done by the genius and world-famous Raphael himself.

Rudran's lips mumbled " God help me, this painting must be worth millions" and a soft voice from behind him said " Hundred million to be precise but I am sure it will fetch more than that" and hearing the words, Rudran turned slowly and in a basement of a building in Brighton Beach, New York, light and darkness faced each other as they will face each other, again and again, and will do battle for it has always been thus.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches

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@satish_2025

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Posted: 6 years ago

#402

Jannal Oram 265

"Take it one step at a timeinarguably wise advice. And yet we all take a running leap, hoping the wind will catch us on its wings and lift us clear to the top of the beanstalk. Those few Jacks who have reached new heights in this manner inevitably wish they had taken more time to prepare for the overbearing giant who greeted them. ? Richelle E. Goodrich, Slaying Dragons

Raman and Kavita both stood calmly, waiting and watching General V.K.Singh, Additional secretary, office of joint operation, Raw, wondering what his reply was going to be for the proposed plan that had been presented to him.

" This man would have been a great card player," thought Raman for not a flicker of an expression or a slight hint of what the man was thinking showed itself on the face General V.K.Singh and yet Raman knew in his heart and had complete faith that the plan would be accepted.

In the eerie calm of the Army hospital, New Delhi, the three stood in a circle and finally General V.K.Singh spoke and it was in a way, a confession, an introspection.

" Sometimes, I worry about the future of this ancient land and how it is going to fare in the next fifty years. The Mughals came first and then the Englishmen took over and colonised us, looted us and subjected us to unimaginable horrors and brutality. Yet, we rose, holding the hands of great warriors such as The Mahatma, Nehru, Patel, Bose and rose like the phoenix from the ashes and were born in 1947. Then one of us, a fellow Indian shot the Mahatma three times and killed him the very next year. Many at the time thought that India would face a civil war between Hindus and Muslims for Godse had assassinated Gandhi for allowing the partition to happen and also blaming him for his soft attitude towards Muslims."

Removing his glasses, he took out a handkerchief and slowly began to wipe it clean and yet maintaining eye contact on both Raman and Kavita " I can forgive Godse and probably even understand why he did it, but I will never forgive nor ever be able to understand those evil souls who dare to plunder their own country and their own mother."

Placing his glasses in his shirt pocket, V.K.Singh, Additional secretary, office of joint operation, Raw, offered his hand and Raman took it and while they shook hands sealing their alliance, he looked at both of them very carefully and warned them " Both of you are young and have a long life ahead of you. I hope you are aware of the immense dangers and risks that both of you are placing yourselves in if you follow through on this plan and even though I will be helping you. Santosh Bhanwari Lal has managed to evade the law for a long, long time and knows all the nooks and crannies in the rule book and has at his beck and call, this nation's most successful advocates.

These are national level politics that you are talking about and if your plan works out then it will have massive repercussions which will resonate through all the main parties in this nation."

Raman's eyes reflected the anger, righteous anger that was coursing through his veins and before he could control it, the anger shimmered and flared in his arm and General V.K.Singh winced in pain for his hand felt like it was being crushed under a truck and Raman letting go, apologised " Sorry sir. I just lost control of my emotions for a second."

General V.K.Singh flexed and unflexed his right fingers in discomfort and told Raman " God help us all. I have given you both my word and I will see it through but remember that all bets are off if you betray me."

" I would rather die than going back on my word and betraying you."

General V.K.Singh, Additional secretary, office of joint operation, Raw nodded " "The best-laid schemes of mice and men Go oft awry." and Raman smilingly " Robert Burns wrote those golden words in his poem titled "To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest With the Plough". But, neither you nor me and Kavita are mice here."

The General left and Corporal Rajeev escorted them back to the vehicle and they left the Army College of Medical Sciences and headed towards the heart of Delhi.

Kavita asked Raman " Do you think it is wise to stay in our state's guest house?"

Raman nodded " Yes, for that is the safest place for both of us at this point in time."

The December sun was sinking fast and it was as if both day and night were touching, caressing each other before bidding farewell.

Raman felt the same divide in his soul and pushed it away with a deep breath and turning to Kavita " Robert Burns wrote the poem titled "To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest With the Plough" in the year, 1785 and According to legend, Burns was ploughing in the fields and accidentally destroyed a mouse's nest, which it needed to survive the winter. In fact, Burns's brother claimed that the poet composed the poem while still holding his plough.

Little, sly, cowering, timid beast,

Oh, what a panic is in your heart!

You need not start away so hasty

With bickering prattle!

I would be loath to run and chase you,

With murdering paddle!

I doubt not, sometimes, that you may steal;

What then? Poor beast, you must live!

An odd ear in twenty-four sheaves

Is a small request;

I will get a blessing with what is left,

And never miss it.

Your small house, too, in ruin!

Its feeble walls the winds are scattering!

And nothing now, to build a new one,

Of coarse green foliage!

And bleak December's winds coming,

Both bitter and piercing!"

Kavita clapped her hands and Corporal Rajeev who too had heard the poem, joined in the clapping and turned and looked at Raman with respect and admiration " A great lawyer, a great martial artist and a great poet too. Bravo, sir."

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@satish_2025

Rocker

+ 5

Posted: 6 years ago

#403

Death, Dignity and grief

Paarththaa Pasumaram Paduththuvitta Nedumaram

Serththaa Veragukkaagumaa

Njaana Thangame

Theeyilittaa Kariyum Minjumaa

These words are from a song from the film "Thiruvilayadal" and it literally means that a person when alive can look tall and strong but just another piece of dead wood in death, and that nothing remains but ashes after being cremated.

It has sometime since my last visit to this place that is the final destination for all of us and is final even if many do not make it to the destination.

Crematorium, burial ground and yes, I was there last week and after nearly a ten-month gap which is a bit of a long gap for me. A few loved ones, that I liked and respected a lot did pass away this year but sadly I could not make it to their final departure as they boarded the tray and were pushed into the newly painted portal that would transport them to the next stop and transform them by leaving behind ashes of a body that once walked, ran, spoke, loved, cried and experienced the state called life.

As always when it comes to death and cremation grounds, I shut myself and gave myself up to the ambience that I would one day be visiting on a long and extended stop and just stared at the body of the man whose spirit had fled leaving behind the body that reminded me of old and faded clothes.

" Sir, now all fire from Bio-gas sir. clean sir" and I turned and saw a young chap dressed in a uniform that resembled some of the waiters that worked in restaurants in and around Besant Nagar and I smiled and nodded and acknowledged the information and then, the magic trick began.

The body, a reminder of a great man who had lived a great life was whisked away and that was that.

So, I walked around the crematorium, thinking to myself " Dead man walking " and took in all the changes in the ambience of the place and froze as my eyes took in a large painting of the Three-eyed God as he danced on top of a funeral pyre and I whispered, standing at his feet " En bro, appo intha kuthu paatu, gaana paatu, saavu koothu, para molam ellathukku nee thaan reasona."

Sorry to disappoint you people but the three-eyed god was fast asleep or probably lost in deep meditation and yet his voice whispered and memory of another of my favourite song from the same film Thiruvilayadal flooded in.

Paattum Naane Baavamum Naane

Paadum Unai Naan Paadavaithene

Asaiyum Porulil Isaiyum Naane

Aadum Kalaiyin Naayagan Naane

Ethilum Iyangum Iyakkamum Naane

Ennisai Nindraal Adangum Ulage

I closed my two eyes that only see and told myself " so, the man is still singing and dancing inside you and will one day dance over you as you leave this plane and join him."

Now, that is quite a desirable end, at least for me and for my dreams and hopes.

Edited by Raman_jeeva - 6 years ago

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@satish_2025

Rocker

+ 5

Posted: 6 years ago

#404

Redemption 289

"Compassion hurts. When you feel connected to everything, you also feel responsible for everything. And you cannot turn away. Your destiny is bound with the destinies of others. You must either learn to carry the Universe or be crushed by it. You must grow strong enough to love the world, yet empty enough to sit down at the same table with its worst horrors. Andrew Boyd,

In the brightly lit gallery hidden away in the basement of the building owned by the Russian mafia, situated in a quiet lane in Brighton Beach, New York the two spectrums of the universe stood facing each other and both knew that only one would walk out. Although, one of them thought to himself " No way I am going to die here and if it comes to that, there is no way that you walk out alive for you will join me in death."

Rudran stood calmly with just a hint of a surprise on his face on seeing the giant Russian and stood radiating a strange aura around him and Boris knew the difference between his soul and the soul of the man that stood before him, boldly and without even a bit of worry creasing his face with fear of death or worse, being tortured to death.

Boris Vanya stood at the foot of the steps that led down from the upper part of the building and slowly walked towards Rudran and let his eyes travel all around the 5,000 sq feet of the basement, just making sure that the man had dared to venture in alone into his domain, a fact that he knew already for he had seen the footage from the closed-circuit camera that was on the top floor.

" Who are you stranger, and what has forced you to dare enter my turf?"

Rudran with the same expression and in a flat tone " Stranger. That just about aptly describes me and I have come to collect some paintings that rightfully belong to me and my family."

Boris Vanya crossed the remaining ten feet and now stood towering before the stranger and only a few feet separated them both.

" All that is here belongs to my masters and to my organization and they will remain with us. But, you will not stranger for you have stumbled into a place that is far worse than hell itself."

Rudran shook his head " Boris Vanya, yes. You are right in assuming that I have come alone and with no one else for support. But, you are wrong on both counts for I will walk out of here with what I want and also alive and well."

Boris Vanya smiled and then laughed loudly and his laughter rang around, echoing all around the basement and he looked at the stranger " Do you know who I am and how many people I have killed with my bare hands?"

Rudran nodded " Yes. I know who you are and how you became what you have become today. You started your destiny with a crime by burning down the brothel where your small penis was a huge joke, considering your giant form. Then, you were absorbed by the Russian mafia who trained you and gave you means through which you could unleash all the evil that you were born with.

I know all about you and yet am surprised that you started this journey of crime because somebody mocked your small dick. Don't you know that size does not matter and it is only how you use it and in the same way, sex is in the mind and not in the body or a huge penis."

Then, Boris the giant Vanya watched in amazement as the stranger moved and now stood just at arm's length before him and said " So, should I call you Boris the Giant Vanya or Boris the Little?"

A deadly smile spread on the Russian man's face and it moved and said " Either you are incredibly brave or incredibly stupid to say what you just said and that too to my face.

But, before I tear and separate your limbs away with my bare hands, I just want to know one thing and that is which are the paintings that you have come here for and also that which has brought you to your final destination."

Rudran raised his left hand and pointed towards the paintings that stood in the center " Those ten paintings."

Boris Vanya looked at the paintings that had just come into his possession and laughed " Those cartoon paintings. Those stupid paintings created by the mind of some madman with a very fertile imagination."

Rudran surprised " Why, why do you think they are just someone's wild imagination, Boris Vanya?"

" Of course they are a figment of imagination for how is it possible for a man of that size to defeat five giants and also kill all of them without even a scratch on him? And check that stupid looking alien spacecraft hovering in the air and then is shown having settled on the ground in the final painting? Stories stranger, just children's stories like those tales my mother told me when I was a kid."

Deep inside, Bhairav growled and at the same time, Boris Vanya pointed to the paintings with his right hand " And check out that man leaping into the air" and Rudran turned and at that very instant Boris threw a punch with his left hand.

Punch. Yes. But then, this was a punch thrown by a man weighing nearly 320 pounds and that too mostly muscle and a punch thrown by a man who was also an expert boxer and it was a killer blow that should have connected and killed the man it connected with instantly.

Delve a little deeper and the science suggests the key equation is the impulse-momentum equation essentially the ability to produce force quickly combined with the ability to move mass quickly.

A boxer's hand speed can reach around eight to 10 meters per second, which is almost equivalent to a top-level 100m sprinter. Combine that speed with significant force and the effects can be lethal.

The heavyweight knockout blow is as magnificent as it is ruthless; as devastating as it is beautiful. It can deliver catastrophic consequences and it can be the making of heroes.

Where a rower will tell you the power comes from their legs and an archer will deem their back the most important part of their body, a boxer is not simply the arm-bulging machine they might appear. The biceps and triceps are just the final cogs in a full-body machine that starts in the feet and travels the entire length of the torso through the hips. People think the power comes from the arm, but the arm is only the final transition of the punch. It comes from the sole of your feet and the energy is transmitted through your body and ends up on your fist.

Boris Vanya's face filled itself with the rage that had erupted in his soul and the moment the stranger turned to see what he had pointed to, a tactic that he had used to fool him, he threw the lethal and killer left punch aimed directly at the right side of the face of the stranger who had shifted his eyes towards the paintings and then witnessed what he knew was impossible to do.

The left arm traveled like a missile seeking the strangers right side of his head and yet the right arm came up and blocked the punch and much to the amazement the stranger had his head turned still towards the direction of the paintings and then he in turn, threw his left arm that found the right side of Boris Vanya's body and impacted deep inside his rib cage.

Boris Vanya had never been really hit before and had never been hit with such force and he and the stranger both heard the ribs break with a loud crack and it took all his immense strength to stay on his feet and he grabbed his right side groaning in pain and he asked the stranger " Who are you? who are you really?"

The stranger looked at him with a smile " I am the legend. I am that magic that you passed off as a silly story that your mother told you and in me flows that same blood that flowed in my father as he stood and killed those giants in the paintings that you have stolen from us.

Boris Vanya watched frozen in awe and fear as in the dimly lit basement, the stranger's eyes suddenly flared Green and he stepped forward and effortlessly lifted him and held him there with his feet not touching the expensive marble floor.

I am Rudran and I am your Redemption.

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@satish_2025

Rocker

+ 5

Posted: 6 years ago

#405

Chinna chinna aasai

Waking up at 2.00 am after going to bed by 9.00 or 9.30 pm leaves me short of a couple of hours of the night sleep that our human bodies need but a state that I have bypassed, with some lapses.

The green scrubbers around the kitchen sink sometimes fool me in that groggy state and I mix them up. Scrubbers, mix-up, you might begin to wonder but no, I am not sleepwalking or sleep-writing.

I am a non-vegetarian although I do confess that status has been slowly erased. So, we have two kutty bowls around the sink holding a scrubber each for vegetarian dishes and for Non-vegetarian dishes and it is often smooth sailing.

Wait, I forgot to add the scrubber and soap meant for the god's dishes and the little clothes they wear.

Every day, after the milk has been boiled, the first share goes to our god and it is poured in a small bowl that is meant just for them.

See, when washing that bowl is where I sometimes mix up the scrubbers and only when I am sleepwalking or groggy and many a time, I have let loose loud and filthy curses aimed at myself that have often prompted windows in the opposite flat to be shut and shutdown for a few hours, the occupants thinking that the curses were aimed at them. At least that is what i imagine in my own world.

So, there i was, back again at the sink and totally lost as to which was the scrubber that I had just used and feeling guilty and angry, the words like " Arivukettavane" and far worse frothed at my lips and the story whispered somewhere and I realized it's true meaning only at that point, holding the scrubber and standing at the sink.

A man purchased a small idol of Lord Krishna and bringing it home began to pray and worship it with great enthusiasm and with proper rituals. But, as you are aware that symbols and rituals are for simple minded people, the man too did pray and worship but from his lips and not from his soul and thus it went on and on until one day faced with a small tragedy, he prayed and begged to Lord Krishna for help and to no avail.

In a fit of anger, he picked up the beautiful idol of Lord Krishna and threw it on the small loft that was in the kitchen which adjoined the pooja room.

The very next day, his wife began to make sarkarai Pongal and the aroma of the dish began to waft and drift all over the house and the man got up angrily and yelled at the idol of lord Krishna " Unfaithful god, you don't even deserve to smell my wife's cooking and the aroma from the sarkarai Pongal" and placing a stool brought the idol down and wrapped it up like Mummy as was the practice in ancient Egypt.

Placing the wrapped up idol of Lord Krishna back on the loft, the man got down and nearly died in shock to see the beautiful Krishna standing there in his kitchen and recovering his composure, he yelled at the god " I prayed to you for so many years and you did not appear then nor did you help me when I most needed it. And yet, here you are for some strange reason."

Lord Krishna smiled " All those years you prayed to me were just rituals, poojas and namesake stuff and practices and you really never believed in me and I was just there as a symbol, an idol, an empty image. But today for the first time, you acted as if I really existed and that you truly believed in me by denying the aroma that rose from your wife's cooking. You treated me as a real presence and not just an idol, a statue and gave me feelings and a place in your soul even though it was out of anger and impatience. But, you believed in me and that is enough for me and I have come for you cared enough and loved me enough to acknowledge me from your heart and not from just the shallows of your lips."

I rinsed the scrubber and turning to the pooja room, smiled at all the gods that were there and said " okay, I get it. No need for me to be so hard on myself for mixing up the scrubbers boss and thanks for letting me know that you are not going to poke me with your trident like little Hot stuff goes around doing."

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@satish_2025

Rocker

+ 5

Posted: 6 years ago

#406

Life and it happens to all of us

Does the cloud feel less heavy when a drop of water we call rain leaves it and plummets to the earth below?

Does the monsoon cloud feel happy at delivering another rain baby?

I stare at the dark clouds racing away and raise my hands and beckon them to stop, halt and release their loads of water that they are heavily-pregnant with and some do but most just have been passing the city I dwell in.

When I am at work, I always keep my mobile phone in silent mode and tucked away in my suitcase and only check on it when I have enough time to do so.

Friday afternoon, I took out my phone and as every mortal, I too checked my whats app and saw that my elder sister Aruna had sent a message and opened it and it read " Satish, Ravish has passed away"

I stood reading the message again and again and wondered if the Diabetes that Ravish was suffering from had snuck up on him with a lethal and a fatal attack on his heart and sadly whispered a prayer to his soul and to my cousin sister Bindu to whom he was married to.

In late 1972 or it could be early 1973, I was just 5 years old when I left Bengaluru and came to Chennai, a tot of an orphan and began to live in a big house all dazed and confused and yes, totally lost.

Like me, there were already four elder cousin sisters living there and they too were in a way, orphans but with parents.

Aruna, Asha, Sujatha, Vanitha and add to that my guardian aunty's only son Bujju aka Pradeep and if I thought I was the topping of that list, well I was not for soon Bindu came to live with us too and remember that all of them were my cousins and from my father's side.

I have no connection with my mother's side of the family and that is that.

Aruna and Asha were siblings and were the daughters of my dads elder sister Krishna amma aka whom we all call Akka.

Sujatha was the daughter of Kamala amma and Vanitha was the daughter of Rukku aunty.

Our guardian angel, Vandhana aka Vijayalakshmi was a very large-hearted lady and she helped reduce the burden of her sisters by taking a child each from them and bringing them to Chennai to live under her care.

Whatever I am today, it is all because of my aunt's and uncle's hard work and efforts and I am grateful to it.

Bindu was the last one to arrive and she was about two or three years old and a rather quiet soul and only God knows what went on in her mind and heart and what she made of her new surroundings at the age that she arrived to live with us.

I remember holding her hand and taking her to the toilet in school when she was in LKG and I was in my 2nd std and I remember a lot of that when I was a kid.

So, it was no surprise that when her parents came calling from Bangalore to talk about marriage between me and Bindu that I said a polite no and explained to them why I had said no.

Here was a child that I had practically grown up with and who I had cherished and protected and how could I then suddenly look at her as a woman and worse as a wife.

I told her parents, her mother who was my dad's youngest sister that I had always thought of Bindu as my little sister and never in any other way.

I also told them that she deserved a better human being than me, more successful in all ways and who would treat her with love and care, things that I was not capable then and maybe even now.

Then as fate would have it, Bindu's alliance was done and I was the reason behind it.

My dad's closest pal before he died was Nagraj uncle and needless to say soon became my closest pals too.

He had four children, Madhu, Anu, Kishore, and Bhaskar although only the three guys remain for Anu passed away many decades ago.

I still remember Anu, a fair and soft-spoken girl who came to Chennai back in the mid-1970s for a heart checkup and to no avail for she soon passed away.

Since Nagaraj uncle and his family had known more about my dad it was but natural that I gravitated towards them in a vain hope of clinging to the last remnants of my father's memories and dying embers.

When the talk of my kid cousin sister Bindu's marriage began, I thought of Madhu being a good match for her and later dropped the thought for he was much too older than her and instead went with Ravish, Madhus childhood pal.

I had met Ravish just a few years ago through Kishore and took an instant liking to him. Smart, well educated and a charming personality and I knew that he was going to go places in the near future.

I spoke to Gopal uncle, Bindu's dad and the talks began and which successfully culminated in a grand wedding and that was that.

I only another opportunity to meet Ravish who had by then began his climb up in society and was soon becoming a trusted name in real estate and construction.

So, there I stood in my shooting location, reading the message and my heart's beat quickened at the thoughts of my kid sister Bindu and her only daughter Diksha and wondered how they were going to manage.

I tried talking to my schedule director but in vain for I had work the next day and so I could not make it for the funeral and instead went to the temple and prayed for Ravish's soul and for the safety and welfare of my family.

Kishore called me a few hours after the message from my sister and he informed that Ravish had not died due to a heart attack but instead he had jumped to his death from the seventh floor and had committed suicide.

I guess you can work out what led to my Brother-in-law Ravish to end his life thus from the words Construction, Real estate for they go hand in hand with debts and a sinking and hopeless situation in Bengaluru's real estate and construction business.

I have been quietly wondering about this tragic end that fell on Ravish and also importantly about the number of times that we actually die before really dying.

Yes, for sometimes living is equal to death or worse, since it is sometimes a slow and tortured state of existence.

I place here two links with news about the death of Ravish and leave you for now and until we meet again.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2018/dec/08/huge-loans-pending-projects-drive-realtor-to-death-1908829.html

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/builder-jumps-to-death-from-seventh-floor/articleshow/66996697.cms

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love life

@satish_2025

Rocker

+ 5

Posted: 6 years ago

#407

Ever wonder what is going on in another's mind, one close to you, One not so close to you and those you see, glimpse just once in your lifetime. I do, and offlate it has only increased the empathy that i feel for them and for me and for this third rock from the sun that we call Earth.

A few months back, I was feeding some of the dogs that are in and around the beach and those that did not get their share of leftover garbage that came from the previous night's dinners that customers ate in all the restaurants nearby.

My eyes caught a thin, starving young dog ambling, trotting tiredly and aimlessly and I called it and the dog responded. I tried giving it a few biscuits which it refused but did not refuse the strokings and konjals that I gave it and also the silent prayers that I whispered in its ears and said " Don't give up hope."

The young pup slowly removed itself from my grasp and began its aimless stumble and before I or even God could warn it, went under a wheel of a school bus and went away from life and into death.

I stood frozen in shock and numb in pain and after many a year, tears bloomed and filled my eyes and filled my soul with immense sadness.

The school bus driver was not at fault, the pup was not at fault and yet a tragedy had happened.

The whole day, I spent thinking of the dead pup, its mother and what had happened to them both and I sat by the window looking out down at the road and thought back to my life and sighed sadly at the similarities.

At least I am not dead or am I?

Nowadays, I am more tuned to other's of my species and their lives and problems and nowadays I take more care with my words and feelings.

Nowadays, I stand as I always do before the mirror, and yet I see not just my reflection but the reflection of the whole world and all that is precious and which is life.

Purpose. Motivation. Drive. Yes, I have always questioned God and have always looked up into the heavens screaming aloud and sometimes screaming silently " What is your plan for me, you sick being?" and have never gotten a proper answer and only some whispers, ghostly whispers.

I curse God very often and I curse him for my own limitations and frustrations although I doubt if it falls in its ears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWxLj1KQVW8

Nallathor Veenai Seithu SPB Varumaiyin Niram Sivappu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDQUqCgIcnY

Nallathoru Veenai From Movie Marupadiyum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te8POzV2zZ0

Bharathi Nallathor Veenai

Quote

love life

@satish_2025

Rocker

+ 5

Posted: 6 years ago

#408

23 years. Yes, come February 2019, I would have completed 23 years in this field of entertainment and specifically in Acting.

Actually, I already completed 23 years in this profession for my first ad was in November of 1995 and I faced the camera with my best friend, mentor and Guru G. Venket Ram behind it. A small beginning but an auspicious one I think and now after all these years I can only label it is a blessing and that blessing is Venket himself.

At the start of work, each day, and when the Pooja coconut is brought to me, I whisper a prayer for a few souls that gave me a bit of theirs to repair and reconstruct my broken one and thank them for all that they have given me and blessed me with.

Last week, I was shooting for Kalyana parisu and I was made aware early in the day that a very important scene in which I get beaten up by my brother-in-law was going to be shot in the evening and I nodded and soon forgot about it.

My only worry was deep scratches and lacerations on my face while I am getting beaten up and thankfully the actor co-operated and acknowledged my rather humble and timid requests and rehearsed with me what we were going to do and how we were going to do.

Two rehearsals and just like that an important and highlight scene was ready to be shot and it went well with the very first take. But, the cameraman wanted another take for a better angle and I agreed and the second take was done and in the middle of the scene where I get beaten and fall to the ground, i fell and hit someone's knee and went blank and dark for a second and in spite of that blinding pain, I crawled up ready to get beaten up and the take was okayed.

That episode was telecast yesterday and for the first time, I read the comments and nearly all of them were in praise of the director and the actors and the serial.

The actor who beat me up thanked me and I said it was not needed and that only the ratings and the success of the show meant anything to me and for that I was willing to get beaten up everyday of the telecast.

I share with you that epidsode from yesterday and I hope you like it and appreciate it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2ks_wDAtm0

KalyanaParisu 2 - Tamil Serial | | Episode 1454 | 10 December 2018 | Sun TV Serial

Quote

spain

@spain

Navigator

Posted: 6 years ago

#409

That was a really nice performance, Satish.
I watched the episode last night itself...and I felt so sorry for your character.
I wanted to grab the brother-in-law by his collar and tell him, "Watch it, Mister! You don't dare mess around with him like that and get away with it!!"😡

Your expression of pain (more than the background dubbing of beatings) carried more intensity for that scene.
But I wish they gave your role more dialogues to speak...
tv serials are so biased to the female gender in giving them all the meaty roles.

That way, I really do admire and respect your passion for acting.
To act without any ego...to give other characters the upper hand for a scene...
to watch others being appreciated for their lines while your role gets bashed up...
speaks volumes of your true character and inner strength as an actor and as a human.
Well done.
I hope we have made at least part of this 23 years of acting journey
worthwhile for you too.
May you continue to shine bright. always. 😊

Quote

spain

@spain

Navigator

Posted: 6 years ago

#410

I do want to convey my sincere condolences on the recent unexpected death of your brother-in-law.

It was a shocking relevation to read about it yesterday.

Thank you for providing the newspaper links too.

I hope you and your family remain strong and supportive of each other during this turbulent time.

I understand the stress and unspoken anguish of life can be unbearable at times.

My heart goes out to all those who couldn't find that peace within themselves and gave in too early.

Reading about real estate debts and loans was heart-wrenching and tedious on my mind...

so I can imagine the need to switch off the constant ringing of mobile phones and the simple need to switch off life itself.

But there other stories we need to remind ourselves too.

Even Mr. Amitabh Bachchan went heavily bankrupt with his ABCL production company in the late 90s.

He lost money heavily by hosting and organising the Miss World pageant in India.

His production films flopped badly. I think "Ullasam" was produced by his company and many actors were not even paid their dues (including ? actor Ajith).

He acted in Sooryavamsham as a double role and he looked ridiculous trying to play a young son character (whereas Sarathkumar got away with it in the Tamil version).

He could no longer dance around the trees with the young heroine.

He flopped miserably as a politican too.

He had so much loans and debts to pay off...I think he was ready to sell his house and property at that point.

But one thing I found irresistibly attractive about this man was that he simply refused to give up.

He always found a way to work through his problems.

He failed as a businessman, he failed as a politician...but he still knew how to act!

So he begged Yash Chopra for work because he needed the money and he got to play a father role in "Mohabbatein" in the year 2000.

That was the start of the next phase of his iconic career doing character roles.

He did plenty of tv ads to pay off the debts too.

And then he hosted the famous Kaun Banega Crorepati show on Star Plus...and that was it.

From bankruptcy, he turned into a crorepati overnight!!

He kept reinventing himself again and again...

every time people kept writing him off...

he sprung up in a new role.

It is admirable that now in his mid-70s, he still keeps active in the gym, and can use twitter and Instagram...just like the youngsters.

We must learn something from this.

Not all of us can be as iconic as Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, but we can learn how to cope with times of adversity and how to embrace challenges that are thrown at us.

Life is full of them. It never really ends till we die.

But more than anything, I feel a lot of sorrow for the women in our society.

I felt so bad on reading how your cousin sister Bindu's marriage alliance got fixed.

It all looks so good and happy...on the outside.

But does a horoscope match guarantee lifetime bliss?

Does knowing the guy's family make it any easier for the girl to live her life?

I would think there would be more pressure on her on not disappointing her own family if things didn't turn out well.

Just because the guy is smart, well-educated and earning good money...will that keep her happy?

Girls are forever tossed around by elders...as they say they always have the girl's best interests at heart.

Now whose heart are they talking about? Their heart? Or the girl's?

She is told not to talk to strangers...but then gets married off to a stranger and is expected to make babies with that stranger.

She is given the enormous responsibility to hold the family together and honour its weird way of living with a sweet, pretentious smile that never reaches her eyes.

Her time to rule the roost only arrives when she eventually upgrades herself as the official matriarch (mother-in-law) of the family...

that is when she truly enjoys the respect that everyone gives her.

And by then, she is too old with health problems that she would rather just die in her sleep!

But then, she can't sleep so easily because her head is filled with so many worries that are left unspoken.

It sucks being a woman in traditional Indian society.

But I have learnt that such women have true courage and resilience.

They have to beg for death to arrive because even death is too scared of them!

I know one such woman. She is my mother. She is a cancer survivor. Married to a loving stranger.

And I'm so incredibly proud of her.

Through her sacrifice, blood, sweat and silent tears...she allowed me to breathe and break-free from the vicious cycle I was born into.

I hope we can all break-free from the cages we have locked ourselves in.

We are trapped inside our own walls of security...but it is a false belief of security.