*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4 - Page 75

Good morning. I wish you a beautiful Monday and I hope and pray that you have a great week ahead.

Every Sunday, I head towards the lighthouse and parking my car there, begin my walk towards Napier bridge and if energy permitting, try to reach the RBI and then slowly head back to my car after nearly an hour and half of time.

Barricades everywhere and no place to park and that was for the inside and outside of the main road. I was told that a judge had died after being hit by a two-wheeler and so no more parking inside and outside and that the rule was being enforced from the lighthouse and until the Napier bridge.

So, I drove all the way to the cricket stadium and parked my car there and thought " Okay, a new perspective of the marina and from the opposite side. Let's do this, Sat."

My feet took me to the beach and all over Triplicane and through the lanes that lead up to Parthasarathy temple. Time well spent I think for more than anything the time was well spent reading all the beautiful names that adorned all the entrances of buildings and houses in and around the famous temple.

I saw the labor statue and saw a mother crow laboring to build a nest among the arms of the laborer's statues and saw the father giving me an eye and then a mouthful ' Better move on man and stop staring at my domain.'

Black against black but for the brown twigs that were carefully held in the mighty arms of the rock men.

I stood and gazed at Thiruvalluvar and then stepped back in awe only then seeing that the statue of Valluvan was gifted by none other than Nadigar Thilagam Shivaji Ganesan himself. God bless his Tamil soul and hope he is in eternal peace in the eternal actor's heaven.

Stood, looking up at the idol of Pey Azhwar who was named thus for he was possessed by his love for Lord Vishnu and then passed ancient doors that stood shut and silent.

I thought and transported myself to the times when the doors to these dormant houses would have been open and all and sundry in the neighborhood would have heard the chants of

A man much further ahead began to pee on the walls of the temple and so it was now my turn to say

" Narayana, Govinda " and look up at the heavens for an answer and the heavens opened up and rained monsoon showers.

See, everybody has a story. Every moment in our lives is a story. Every passing and movement of the sands of time is a memory.

The very sands of the beach are but the remain's, dust and sediments of ancient sea creatures and all those lives, gazillions of them are but sands and forgotten footprints in the passage of time as life goes on in third rock from the sun called Bhoomi.

Jannal Oram 370

C-4, or composition 4, is a variety of plastic explosive. The basic idea of plastic explosives, also called plastic bonded explosives (PBX), is to combine explosive chemicals with a plastic binder material. The binder has two important jobs. It coats the explosive material, so it's less sensitive to shock and heat. This makes it relatively safe to handle the explosive. It makes the explosive material highly malleable. You can mold it into different shapes to change the direction of the explosion.

The explosive material in C-4 is cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine (C3H6N6O6), commonly called RDX (which stands for "royal demolition explosive" or "research development explosive"). The additive material is made up of polyisobutylene, the binder, and di(2-ethylhexyl) sebacate, the plasticizer (the element that makes the material malleable).

Raman had sent the message " Bomb" as a precautionary warning and only to alert them to any potential threat that the killer could pose and even he had not expected his words to come true and to come true so quickly and in such a gruesome manner.

Raman was watching the live streaming of the showdown taking place between V.K.Singh and Hindu reporter Radhakrishnan in the conference hall that was situated on the top floor of the Commissioner building.

Along with him were Jeeva and both their parents and Bharat, Kutty Jeeva, Devarajan and Kavita, and everyone's reactions were the same as in their shock and horror but varied in many degrees in its final expressions.

They all saw the reporter take out the large screen mobile phone with an expression of guilt written all over his face and then look at it as if it was some kind of repulsive thing for it was the cause for all this trouble that he was in and then " Boom."

The phone exploded with a muffled sound and vanished along with the hand that was holding it and a microsecond later the reporter's face vanished too and he crumpled to the ground.

Raman's eyes went wide in shock and he clenched both his fists and held them like hammers. Jeeva who was sitting next to him closed her mouth with both her hands and yelled ' God, that poor man.' Kamakshi screamed in pure terror and was reduced to a nervous bout of crying. Shaktivel sat like the Buddha. Valliama buried her face in his shoulder and he held her there. Manigandan was too numb with his arthritis to react to the numbing scenes and tried his best to console his wife.

Kavita and Bharat froze and watched the screen in horror and Devarajan grabbed Kutty Jeeva and tried to cover her eyes and it was the last one and the youngest one of them all who spoke.

' Holy shit, that dude just disappeared like the ones on youtube in the warzones of the Gulf region.'

Raman raised the remote and switched off the tv and growled in anger and cursed again and again and said ' Too late. Stupid idiot. why didn't you think of it earlier and warn them you dumb ass?'

All of them looked at him, puzzled and wondering why Raman was cursing and scolding himself.

Devarajan was the only one who put it together and he looked at Raman ' the messages that both of them got were from you, Raman?'

Raman nodded ' yes master. But, it was too late and I could not save that poor reporter. I was not thinking right and definitely was slow off the blocks.'

Shaktivel's voice was strained and ragged ' Iyaa, Ram, what are you going on about? You just saved several lives and that too from here, from this room, and you are saying that you were too late.'

Jeeva lovingly brushed the hair that had fallen on his forehead and with a smile replied to Shaktivel ' Appa, our hero wants to save everyone in this world and feels responsible for everyone's safety. But, he is yet to realize that it is just not possible and that too with a killer of this nature.'

Raman yelled loudly ' You are right my dear wife when you say that I want to save everyone from harm's way but you are wrong when you say that I have yet to realize that it is just not possible for I realized that the moment I saw Suja hanging from the ceiling.'

From where they lay sprawled on the ground, both commissioner Vishwanathan and RAW chief V.K.Singh looked at the remains of the reporter and the mess his body had left all over the conference room.

' He is indeed a miracle MR.Singh. Raman is indeed a miracle for just imagine the state of both of us if he had not warned us ' whispered the Commissioner.

V.K.Singh nodded ' they would have carried us out in baskets and scraped out our remains from the ceiling and walls.'

He quickly reached into his pocket and bringing out his phone called the capital, and whispered into the phone urgently.

In Delhi, the defense minister listened carefully and replied ' I am here with the Prime Minister himself along with other cabinet ministers and we saw it live too. I will prepare the official letter immediately, and you should get it in an hour's time.'

Falling silent for a few moments, the defense minister asked ' but are you sure that he will comply with this plan of action?'

V.K.Singh replied ' he will sir for he will do anything for his family.'

Jannal Oram 371

“The shock of the fear of death drove my mind inwards and I said to myself mentally, without actually framing the words: ‘Now that death has come; what does it mean? What is it that is dying? This body dies . . . But with the death of the body am I dead? Is the body I . . . The body dies but the Spirit that transcends it cannot be touched by death. That means I am the deathless Spirit.’ All this was not dull thought; it flashed through me vividly as living truth which I perceived directly. . . From that moment onwards the ‘I’ or Self-focused attention on itself by a powerful fascination. Fear of death had vanished once and for all. Absorption in the Self continued unbroken from that time on.”

These were Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi's own words as he described the intense experience that he had at the age of 17 and which set him on his journey towards the God, his eventual Lord Annamalaiyar as his destiny crashed like a wave against the hills of Thiruvannamalai. But, unlike a wave of the mighty oceans, his life crashed and mixed with the one he sought and spread itself all over the land that he set foot in and then spread through all of us and burns strongly in many of us and will shine on in many more for eons to come.

Raman remembered those words and he felt an intense flame of understanding kindle deep in his soul and sighing deeply with tiredness looked at all of them and said ' I need to tell you all something. I am scared and worried sick about the coming days.'

Jeeva hurriedly covered his mouth with her hand and shook her head ' Ram, please, don't say anything now. You are just reacting to what you saw and to what has been happening for the past few months.'

Raman moved his face away from her hand that was covering his lips and slowly sat down on the bed and leaning against the pillow, let his eyes travel all over them and then lingered on Kutty Jeeva.

' I know those who are older than me will wonder at my words that I am going to say and those who are my age will wonder why I am being so pessimistic and I tell both you set of people that I am not saying this just for the heck of it or as a reaction to what just transpired before all our eyes.

He is coming and he will soon be here. This is not just a killer on the loose but death itself on a mad rampage and there is just no reasoning with this evil creation.'

Former DGP of Tamil Nadu Police, Devarajan spoke calmly ' Ram, I and the department have seen worse, much worse than this...'

Raman looked at him and turned away and said ' Maybe master but this man is different. This man is wrong, very wrong and I feel he is like some force that cannot be defeated until either he is done with what he is doing or he is put down.'

Kutty Jeeva walked on her young legs and standing near him, looked at him with her almond-shaped black eyes ' Kutty appa, I know that I am just a kid among all you adults. But, even in my world of cartoons, comics and films, there are times when the hero or the heroine gets beaten up and nearly killed many a time. But always, always, in the end, he or she rises and fights on even when badly injured and nearly at death's door.

Many a time, I have wondered why, what gives them the strength to carry on, to go on that extra mile, live on fighting for that precious few moments and manage to turn the tide and fight and triumph over the villain.'

Raman turned his face towards her and cupping her face, bent and kissed the top of her head and whispered ' Baby, those are comics and cartoons while this is all too real.'

' But, Kutty appa, does it matter if it is real or unreal, life or comics for what matters in the end is going that extra mile.'

Raman grunted as his strained ribs sent barb after barb of pain shooting all over his body and yet he slowly lifted kutty Jeeva and seated her on his lap and stared at her with a smile.

' Kutty appa, I realized what the secret behind the cartoon heroes and also my favorite Avengers victories were and that is not giving up until the end, no matter what. The reason they never gave up until the end was because they were not fighting for themselves but for the ones they loved and the world that they lived in.'

She pointed to the dark screen ' From what little I have seen and heard, I think your villain is just one person while you are all so many. Then why are you talking about him being undefeated or unbeatable.'

Raman began to cry softly and all those who saw him crying felt a tear, a wound being inflicted in their hearts.

He looked at Kutty Jeeva ' I am scared. I am scared not for me but that I might lose you, all of you. I am scared that something terrible might happen to all of you. That, thought alone makes me very sad and also destroys my strength and will to fight.'

She wiped his tears with her tiny fingers and then leaned in closer and whispered into his right ear ' “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.'

Raman smiled sadly ' you made that up baby?' and Kutty jeeva smiled and shook her head ' Those lines are from my favorite hero, Harry potter's stories and they are told to Harry by his master Dumbledore.'

Raman gently hugged her and one by one they all came together and stood as one and in one circle.

" It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." Albus Dumbledore.

Jannal Oram 372

If the clear and concise manner in which RAW chief V.K.Singh had spoken and impressed all the citizens of India had not been enough, the live death of senior reporter Radhakrishnan was more than enough to convince and swing people towards the Government Apparatus and the overwhelming security measures it put in places all over the country.

Five of the elite special force units boarded the flight that would bring them chennai and in the pursuit of Jamun aka Dhanraj Malik. There was a dramatic increase in respect towards the police and army and co-operation was extended by the public without any hatred or thought.

This sudden upsurge of respect and affection towards what the police and army do day in and day out by placing themselves in harm's way swept many a sleeper cell and hidden terrorists into the net of the intelligence agencies.

But, many a tv channel host asked and asked again the same question and which was ' What was the message that alerted Raw chief V.K.Singh and Chennai city police commissioner to the presence of the bomb and who was the person who had sent it?'

There were no accusations and no conspiracy theories put up for everybody had seen both of them screaming a warning to the reporter as he brought out the phone that had exploded and killed him.

Malik's mobile phone rang and he answered the call with silence and the caller was the one who spoke ' Are you out of your mind? why did you have to kill that man and that too after placing a bomb in a hospital? Do you realize the heat that is coming your way? Five units are on their way here. Five of the best units that this nation has under its command and you are running around as if you were a kid celebrating Diwali by bursting crackers.'

' Thank you. I just have one question for you and that is who will they search for when that person has already changed his disguise. Nobody knows how I look anymore after all the surgery done to my face. Not even our late Santoshi knew what my real face was, so no need to worry.'

' okay, that is a load off my shoulders and I am glad that you can look after yourself and without any help from me.'

' I will call when I need your help and that might happen only when I need to get out of this country and that too only when I have run out of options. Bye.'

Bharat looked at Raman ' maybe it was unwise of me to come back with Jeeva for it would have been a lot safer back home in America.'

' That thought crossed my mind the moment I saw both of you enter the room. But now, I think it is better to be around us and until this is sorted out once and for all.'

Kutty Jeeva asked ' any idea as to when all these problems will be over Kutty appa?'

All of them heard the loud knocks on the door and Raman with a smile ' Soon baby. I promise you that it will be all over really soon.'

Good morning. I wish you all a beautiful day. All the best.

The following incident took place at Sri Ramanashram, Tiruvannamalai many decades ago.

It was Mahashivaratri. The devotees dined along with the Bhagawan. Then, they all gathered in the main hall where the Maharishi was reclining on the bed. It was about 8 pm.

A devotee got up, paid obeisance to the Bhagawan and requested him " Bhagawan, today is Mahashivaratri. We all will be grateful if Bhagawan could explain to us the meaning of Dakshinamurthy stotram."

Bhagawan replied " yes, I shall. Please sit down. "

All sat down. Bhagawan did not speak anything. He was silent. All those assembled there were looking at Bhagawan. Bhagawan was looking at them, Grace oozing out of his eyes.

There was total silence. No one moved; nothing moved except time. The clock struck nine and Ramana Maharishi was silent. Stillness everywhere. Time moved on. The clock struck ten, eleven, twelve., one, two, three.

It was all silence, total and complete. All the assembled devotees and the Bhagawan were looking at each other.

No one even whispered. They were all transported to a Divine world of bliss. Then the clock struck four. Maharishi got up. It took them a minute to realize this small movement and they too got up.

Ramana Maharishi whispered softly " Now, you all know the meaning of Dakshinamurthy sthothram " and he walked away.

This incident was narrated by Sri T.K.Sundaresa Iyer, an ardent devotee of Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi.

Indeed, silence is eloquent.

Jannal Oram 373

General V.K.Singh who entered was by now a familiar face to all of them and he nodded his head in acknowledgement to all those who were gathered there around Raman and then slowly lifted his hand and saluted the man of the hour and then with a smile said teasingly ' I have heard the saying, cometh the hour, cometh the man and it would suit most situations but fails to describe what you are and what you are capable of.'

Sitting at the foot of the bed, concern writ large on his face, he enquired ' how are you holding up Raman? The ribs are the most painful and irritating place to have an injury for they restrict every movement of the body and send out pain signals even if you breathe heavily.'

He looked at all the others ' I broke three of my ribs when our vehicle was hit with mortar shelling by the Pakistan army and the best part was we were inside our own land and nowhere near the Line of control.'

Reaching into his jacket's inside pocket, he brought out a large envelope and placing it on Raman's lap said ' we need to talk right away and in private please.'

Raman used his hand to indicate everyone ' We can talk in private but only if it concerns national security. If not then speak freely for all those who are here are family and there are no secrets between us.'

V.K.Singh looked at the flask that stood near the bed and asked ' Is there any coffee or tea left in that flask?'

Jeeva quickly poured him a steaming cup of coffee and gave it to him and taking a sip of it, V.K.Singh murmured appreciatively ' nothing to beat South Indian coffee, especially what you get here in Chennai.'

He took another sip and then sat quietly in great thought and Raman remained quieter and waited for him to start talking.

' Aren't you going to see what is in the envelope Raman?'

Raman folded his hands across his chest ' No, I would prefer if you said it in words instead and loudly so that all of us can hear you clearly and not misunderstand anything.'

General V.K.Singh, Additional secretary, RAW ' You saw what happened to that reporter?'

Raman did not offer any reply and his face did not reflect any emotion and the others followed suit and all of them stared at the man from Delhi.

' All of us think this man now has become a very serious threat and has to be stopped right now. So, we want you to join us in a temporary manner as a legal consultant. The letter inside that envelope is from the defense minister and it says the same and along with his signature.'

All he got in reply from Raman was a smirk which he would have not tolerated or entertained if it had been in any other person's face and yet he did with so patience and understanding for he knew even the smirk from Raman had a hidden meaning.

' But sir, that is exactaly what I have been doing from the time our paths crossed and along with consultancy, I have also been doing active fieldwork eradicating some of your problems.'

' Raman, this letter from the defense minister is just a small step and is a humble invitation for you to join forces with us and help this country's security arrangements. To succeed in life the first most basic but important factor is Intelligence and you, my dear sir, are blessed with it.'

All eyes were on Raman who sat casually staring at his palms and then coolly began to crack his knuckles that sounded like a small-caliber handgun going off and then he stopped and looked at V.k.Singh ' please give me an hour to think it over and I would like to do that with my family and in private.'

V.K.Singh stood up ' fair enough. I have some stuff to deal with and I will be back in an hour or so.'

The door closed and Raman stared at it for a few moments and then looked at his father, asked ' Dad, what do you think I should do?'

But, before he could reply, Raman's other father figure EX-DGP Devaraj jumped in ' What is there to think Ram? You just got a job offer from the most premier intelligence agency of this nation and you should just accept it right away.'

' I would have sir if my job entailed me to work under you but which sadly is not for you have already retired from service.'

Devaraj wagged a finger ' Ram, I am going to be brutally honest with you and that is to state that V.K.Singh is worth ten of me or maybe even more. I have heard many stories about him and in the intelligence business he is the top man and has worked with not only the CIA but also with the KGB and Mossad.'

Shaktivel agreed with Devarajan and said the same ' Iyaa, this is indeed a great honor this invitation that is being extended to you. If you ask me, I would say take it without any further thought.'

' Okay. But before that, I need to have a quick word with my wife and for that, I need privacy so I request all of you to step out for some time while I and my wife talk it out.'

Kamakshi looked at Raman ' I am going to go home and make something for you to eat. This hospital food sucks big time and I am worried that your health will suffer if you eat any of it.'

She looked at him like he was her very own son ' ram, what do you want me to bring back?'

There was no hesitation from Raman and in a loud voice ' your potato fry, garlic rasam along with that tomato dal that you made a few weeks ago. And.... if you have the time.'

Kamakshi looked at him ' All the time that is meant for me I dedicate to you and your health Raman. So, tell me without hesitation what you want and I will cook that dish and hundreds more if it pleases you.'

' Amma, you remember that Onion rings Bajji and Rava Kesari that you made when I came to your house the very first time. Please make that and only if it is not too much trouble.'

Bharat stood up quickly and blurted ' I am going now and I will be back after my father-in-laws funeral and hopefully I will be back to join you and eat all that is going to be so lovingly prepared for you.'

Manigandan decided that he would leave along with his wife Kamakshi and Shaktivel and Valliammai went along with them.

Kavita left along with Bharat and Kutty Jeeva and Devarajan, the last one to leave stood up and looked at Raman with great respect and pride and slowly bending to his waist, said ' Sensei.'

Raman struggled to his feet, shocked and moved and both master and student and father and son hugged each other fiercely and stayed hugging for a long time.

Devarajan looked at both of them and said ' It is only right that you discuss this with Jeeva for she knows what is right and what is important for both of you. I will leave you now and will try to come back later in the evening. If not, then I will see you tomorrow morning.

Jeeva locked the door and flew into his arms and covered his mouth with hers and kissed him deeply and then held him tightly to her bosom as a mother would hold her child and crying, spoke ' God, I was so worried and nearly went mad when I saw you all bandaged and wounded.'

Raman had tried bearing it but unable to bear the pain any longer groaned his protest ' excuse me. My ribs are really hurting and I fear that one of them might just break from the way you are crushing me to yourself. Also, if I may say so, I am finding it difficult to breathe and last but not least you just gave me a massive hardon.'

Jeeva looked at him in mock anger ' Blasphemy. You dare talk about sex and hardon lying in a hospital bed.'

It took them only seconds to slip out of their clothes and pushing him down she mounted him and began to make love to him and soon both of them burst against each other and she collapsed on him and they stayed like that while the October monsoon clouds burst open with their own orgasms and it began to rain and rain heavily.

Jannal Oram 374

They lay side by side, eyes on each other. They lay looking at each other with love in their eyes and in their lips. They lay on the narrow bed that just about managed to hold them both in its arms and he asked ' what if?'

Her eyes widened slightly and then her lips parted and she replied ' What if you die? Is that the question for which you want my answer?'

Raman nodded ' you do realize that there is a possibility of that all though I will do my best to stay alive. Not for my sake but for your sake and all those who love and care for me greatly.'

' What if?' she mumbled and then looked at him with such sadness that it brought tears in his eyes and before he could say sorry and stop her from speaking, Jeeva spoke ' If you go, then I too will go although a bit will remain for the one who is in me. If something should happen to you, then it will happen to you. You may be dead but I will be like the living dead.'

He could not take it anymore and covered her lips with his and kissed her deeply and said ' I think all lovers ask their partners the very same, cliched and bloody boring questions and I too am no different from them. I was something else, different before I caught your eyes and all changed after your kiss. I too have become an incurable romantic and a bit silly in my pillow talk.'

They lay side by side, gazing at each other, drinking each other and both realized that being in love and being loved is truly a blessing and that it was like being touched by God, a higher power.

' Jeeva, until I met you, I had no clue as to what life really meant and what all a person can do for the sake of love and the person that they love.'

' I want to tell you something and I will do that as you are making love to me' she said and that was all it took for him to slowly move on to her and she looked at him as he entered her and said ' slowly, very slowly and look into my eyes each time you come into me' and Raman resting all his weight on his elbows did exactly as she said and desired and watched with love and tenderness and she took him in and began to orgasm and she came again and again and suddenly her eyes opened wide as she was coming under him and she looked at him ' baby, the only way you can beat this guy is through his heart and there is no other way to bring him down.'

He kissed her mouth roughly and then began to move roughly into her and the morning sun disappeared inside the monsoon clouds and darkness reigned over the land of the Dravidians.

Jannal Oram 375

Everything happened quickly once Raman accepted the position of a legal consultant to the Department of defense. Raman's family was put under the highest security blanket available and all of them were moved to a secret destination which was monitored by the army's elite commando squad.

All this had taken place starting from late in the morning and it was now nearly 6.00 in the evening and Raman was feeling a lot better and rested and looked at his watch.

He looked at all of them and then slowly laid both his hands on the table and his left hand was taken by Jeeva and his right hand was taken by his mother Valliammai. Valli's right hand was held by her husband Shaktivel and his right hand was held by Manigandan whose right hand was held by Kamakshi.

They looked at each other a circle of family members and friends, with ties that bound them with bonds that were stronger than simple words such as family and friends could aptly describe.

Raman looked at each of them ' I just want to tell you all that I love you very much and that I am a sum of all of you put together and I am because of your love and wishes.'

His eyes wandered waveringly and finally stopped on Kamakshi and Mani ' I am sorry for Suja. I know that I have apologized many times and I know that you have forgiven me but at this moment, I want to say it again for it is weighing heavily on my soul.'

Tears shimmered,danced and filling both his eyes and not able to hang on in their well, their birthplace, the soul from where they really came alive, now left Raman's eyes, like children leaving their parents and fell on the table as gravity beckoned them from the soul of this planet as it beckons everything that is alive, dead and undead.

Kamakshi smiled and her eyes clear with joy more than sadness and tragedy looked at him ' I lost a daughter and gained a son. A son that rival the Sun in the sky. A son who is equal to a million other sons and he is called Raman.'

Manigandan's voice quivered in emotion ' Raman sir, why do you think that you are responsible for what happened to Suja? If that was the case, then why would Suja reach out only to you and not to any of us. Suja is happy now wherever she is and that is a good place and the place of God.'

Mani looked at Kamakshi and both smiled and said in one voice ' If this is what you want, then we forgive you and we want more than anything for you to forgive yourself for what happened to Suja and Mohan and what happened to Vijay and Poornima.'

Shaktivel gripping his son's hand tightly said ' It is not how long we live that matters but what we do with that time that we have been given that counts in the end. You are doing what great people do in a thousand lives and are now leaving us to do more. So, forgive yourself first and don't judge yourself so harshly.'

Jeeva pulled his face towards her ' earlier today you asked me, what if I go and my answer is this. All of us go, you, me, my parents, your parents and even our child who is not born yet will eventually go. Go, we all must but then we have come to not only go but live, shine, guide and lead those who cannot live for themselves.'

She slowly raised his left arms and then gently kissed his palm ' you came and raised me from the dead like Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. You raised me and brought light and life into all our lives. Thank you. Just remember this that you are not alone, and never alone and that we love you and are praying for you and our best wishes will always be with you.'

Valliammai stretched a bit and reaching for her son's hand, took it and said ' My dear lion cub, you are now a lion king and we named you Raman because that was the name that was given to you in the temple where we prayed for a child and you came to us.

Raman did suffer but he was always fair, righteous and brave and never ever strayed from that path, no matter what. You, my son, are similar to him in all ways and the time has come now and it has come at the right time of the year my ram.'

Raman and all the others looked at Valliammai ' Diwali is here and this is the hour when Lord Rama kills the demon King Ravana and returns home to Ayodhya. So, my baby, go and do what you have to do and come back victorious.'

She looked at all of them and then returning her loving gaze to her only child, said ' Advance Diwali wishes from all of us.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVx4LafsvSU

Good morning. I wish you a beautiful day. All the best.

Diwali, or Dipawali, is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year.The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness.

Diwali importantly signifies the triumph of Good over Evil. The coming of light to dispel darkness. Legends, stories base this festival on Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya while others base it on Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura.

It is mentioned in Sanskrit texts such as the Padma Purana, the Skanda Purana both of which were completed in the second half of the 1st millennium CE.

King Harsha refers to Deepavali, in the 7th century Sanskrit play Nagananda, as Dīpapratipadotsava (dipa = light, pratipada = first day, utsava = festival), where lamps were lit and newly engaged brides and grooms received gifts. Rajasekhara referred to Deepavali as Dipamalika in his 9th century Kavyamimamsa, wherein he mentions the tradition of homes being whitewashed and oil lamps decorated homes, streets and markets in the night.

Diwali was also described by numerous travellers from outside India. In his 11th century memoir on India, the Persian traveller and historian Al Biruni wrote of Deepavali being celebrated by Hindus on the day of the New Moon in the month of Kartika. The Venetian merchant and traveller Niccolò de' Conti visited India in the early 15th-century and wrote in his memoir, "on another of these festivals they fix up within their temples, and on the outside of the roofs, an innumerable number of oil lamps... which are kept burning day and night" and that the families would gather, "clothe themselves in new garments", sing, dance and feast. The 16th-century Portuguese traveller Domingo Paes wrote of his visit to the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire, where Dipavali was celebrated in October with householders illuminating their homes, and their temples, with lamps.

Light, flame, lamps, fire. I hope and pray that there is light, love, peace and happiness in your life on this day and all days of your lives. Remember, that the real fire, light is you and in your soul burns an energy, a source of incredible energy that can be reached at any moment of any time.

Diwali is a day to celebrate. But, if every day was a diwali, a celebration of life and its blessings then the sky is the limit.

New clothes will fade, tear and be cast aside. Sweets will pass out of your body in a days time. Messages will be deleted.Photos forgotten to be stored and lost.

But, you and your thoughts and energy will never be lost and can never be stolen or deleted.

My Diwali wishes and blessings to you and all those you hold dear in your heart. Be well.

When do you become just your child’s ‘Plus One’?

by Shoba Narayan, Hindustan Times, Octobr 27, 2019

Graceful ageing is about giving up power but retaining self-control

At a Saffronart jewellery conference in Mumbai recently, jeweller Viren Bhagat delivered a keynote to a largely adulatory crowd. He was accompanied by his wife, sons and a diminutive elderly lady – perhaps his mother or mother-in-law. I watched the lady in her crisp yellow sari as she sat quietly in the front row listening to his talk, and later as she sat amidst her family having dinner. She reminded me of my mother.

There comes a point in everyone’s life when you go from being the one taking charge – the adult – to the one being cared for. You go from handling things to the one being handled. In India, depending on family, this is done either with love or as an unshirkable burden. If you are an elderly man or woman, when do you go from being the name on the invitation to the “plus one” to your children? And how do you deal with the slow erosion of dignity that this entails?

For Indian women, this is a particularly tricky and painful transition, linked to age and locomotion. Both my mother and mother-in-law are at this point where they attend dinners or weddings and wait for one of us to bring them a plate of food. Some of it is linked to not being steady on their feet and not wanting to wait in the buffet line. For others, it is linked to the lack of self-confidence that comes with diminishing eyesight or hearing and a fear of an unfamiliar place or milieu. Some elders change and withdraw once their status changes – once they become a widow or widower. They literally shrink before your very eyes. Grief shrouds them like a cloak.

As long as you are in charge of your life and limbs, you retain dignity

So what is a good child or grandchild to do? How do you walk the line between taking care of your parents and giving them choice, freedom and autonomy? For me, after living around parents and in-laws for the last 10 years, I have decided that freedom and autonomy will serve them better long-term. It will keep their minds sharp and give them a sense of ownership over their destiny. The minute you start “taking care” of all their needs, handling them, they go from adult to child.

Dignity and decision-making are tied together. As long as you are in charge of your life and limbs, you retain dignity. Hand this over to your kids, or spouse, however loving they are, and slowly you sink. Some elderly folk are happy to let go, to let their kids – sons usually – take over their finances, to hand over the proverbial Tamilian “chaavi-kothu” or key bunch to daughter-in-law. They don’t want to deal with the chores of the household, the broken toilets, the dhobi-wallah who doesn’t come on time, the maid and cook, the newspaper bill. They have done it and don’t want to do it anymore. This is a fine thing. Perhaps your Amma or Abba may prefer to read the Quran or plan a trip to Mecca. Perhaps they only want to write “Hari Om” 1,008 times every day. Or simply engage with church and choir. You may think you are doing them a favour by taking their everyday choices out of their hands. But I would urge the opposite. As long as they can engage with the everyday of life, let them. Encourage them to talk to people, even if it is the vegetable man, because that is how they remember how to converse. Let them decide what Diwali or Christmas sweets to make because that is how they know how to take charge. The business of living is largely about choice, about decisions. Give that up and suddenly, your opinions stop mattering, you are dismissed as someone who is “out of touch,” who doesn’t know. People talk around you instead of to you.

A friend of mine is a busy advertising executive who lives with her in-laws at a South Mumbai apartment. For a long time, the arrangement suited everyone. My friend could go on business trips knowing that her kids were taken care of. The grandparents felt like they had a purpose. Sure, all was not hunky-dory. Small resentments simmered. But like many Mumbai families, they made it work.

Real estate prices rather than affection may be the reason couples live with their parents or in-laws. But in the larger scheme of things, I truly believe that the Indian joint family is a great invention. If the family is functional (without the depraving portrayed in the film, Monsoon Wedding), it is a great cocoon for the kids to be around their grandparents. It isn’t great for the working woman but it forces her to detach from minor irritations.

Best of all, forcing elders to engage with life keeps them young.