*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4 - Page 78

Good morning. I wish you a beautiful day.

The moon slips in front of the sun, blotting it. A mere dot, speck, grain of dust and it yet eclipses the mighty sun for seconds, and sometimes minutes. But, even in that illusion of darkness during the day, the sun reveals itself in all its magnificence and glory and that moment when the moon realizes its error and slips past, that tiny diamond of light is nothing short of breathtaking splendor that rivals all the precious jewels that man covets and holds dear.

The point, the origin is but eclipsed but not the aura and the halo. So, it is that in life, sorrows and troubles eclipse our mind and soul. I hope that all of you shine on and blaze through those momentary eclipses and be the star that you were meant to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhsTa4d5zVM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvq-eU5s_cs

Jannal Oram 383

You can outdistance that which is running after you, but not what is running inside you.-Rwandan proverb

Raman stood feeling a bit like a fish out of water in his new role as a consultant for his country's premier Intelligence agency, Raw for he was an advocate and almost exclusively worked in solitude and without any outside disturbances. His normal way of working was to perfunctorily go over the case and then slowly circle out the main points, that were both positive and negative for his client and then close in again on all those points and home in on the few that offered a strong chance for him to argue his case before the judge.

Taking a deep breath, and a sip of coffee, Raman adjusted his sights and mind and began to circle the case like a shark that has smelled blood in the sea and began to take in the data and immediately his mind alerted him to a possible clue.

' Guys, hold on and listen to what just cropped up in my head ' and all four of them looked at him.

' Okay, The very first time that contact was made with by the killer was in Adyar when they tried to launch an attack on me and failed. But, while in the process of making their escape, they brutally attacked and injured EX-DGP Devarajan.

The next time was in Vijaya Hospital. The third contact was in Hotel Connemara. The fourth contact was in the Government General Hospital and the fifth must surely be when he couriered that mobile with c4 explosive that eventually killed The Hindu Reporter Radhakrishnan.

Shaji, you take on the first contact in Adyar and see what data you can gather on that day and around the time of the attack on Devarajan sir.

Preetha, I want you to gather Data from the Vijaya hospital servers, and yes, I am aware that the drives were stolen by one of the killers. But, still, try and see what you can do and also try to pick up footage from the buildings around the hospital.

Balbir, take all the footage from Connemara hotel and look for any suspicious movements and look for CCTV footage from any nearby buildings because that is a high-value area and the nearby Commander-in-chief road has a few embassies on it. So, that being a high-security spot, it must have a lot of cameras watching 24 hours and we might just get lucky.

Sukhi Ram, Please gather all the footage in and around the hospital while I go talk to V.K.Singh and see what information we can gather from the courier office.'

He walked slowly towards the cabin of V.K.Singh, one of the many that lined one side of the building and just as he was nearing it, he saw the man himself coming out.

Catching sight of Raman, V.k.Singh smiled ' young man, you look like you have caught the scent of blood.'

' Maybe, but I will confirm it in a few hours time. I need ten minutes to talk to you about the case. But, I guess it will have to wait for I see you are going out somewhere.'

V.K.Singh tapped his chest and Raman saw the cigarette pack and nodded and said ' I will talk while you smoke for there is no time to waste.'

V.K.Singh punched in the code and stepped out and then swiped his card and again the doors opened but this time out into the open night and under an open cloudless sky that was filled with stars that shone like diamonds.

The armed commandos all fell away from them and now looked out with their backs to their boss and with their eyes in front looking out for danger.

The flame from the lighter danced exotically but was soon shielded from the breeze by V.K.Singhs expert hand and fire met tobacco and died out.

Raman watched as the older man took a deep drag from the cigarette and immediately began to cough terribly and without even being aware of it, his arms held the old man and steadied him.

' do you want some water to drink sir?'

V.k.singh smiled and waved his hand and proceeded to take another deep drag from the tobacco stick.

Raman not able to control his anger, sympathy, and love for the man sputtered angrily ' Do you really need to be doing that rather disgusting thing? '

' too late now my lad. going on nearly 45 years and it now seems that this f..k.g cigarette is the only companion left in my life.'

' sir, surely you know it is killing you and yet you persist with this sick habit of smoking.'

V.k.Singh had just placed the cigarette in his lips and instead of taking a drag from it, paused and then slowly turned and looked at Raman with an inscrutable expression and then went ahead and pulled on the cigarette and again turned to Raman and asked ' so, you too are now in the know-how.'

Raman realized that he had underestimated the man and his intelligence felt embarrassed, ashamed and guilty for he knew that V.K.Singh must have connected the dots and must surely know that it was the four that had informed him of his condition.

Seeing Raman struggle for words and the obvious guilt written on his face, V.K.Singh smiled softly ' Relax Ram. I have known for a few months now that those pesky but brilliant four had hacked my computer and had gotten into my files. The reason that I did not take any action was that they only went through my personal files and medical data and nothing else.'

Seeing Raman's surprised look, V.K.Singh smiled and continued ' they think they are the best hackers on our team but they only rank somewhere 3rd or 4th. I didn't have the heart to tell them that. I was alerted the moment they managed to enter my files and have been watching them. Honestly, they are like children with toys and are just now beginning to test their muscles and mind.'

Raman stepped in closer ' Sir, I am very sorry to hear about your condition. If there is anything or any way I can help you, please don't hesitate to ask.'

V.k.Singh smiled and flicked the cigarette and both watched as it blazed embers like a shooting star in the skies.

' Ram, my boy, help me nab this B..t..d and that will be more than enough.'

Raman nodded and then V.k.Singh asked him ' You had something important that you wanted to talk about?'

' Yes sir, actually the seed for my idea was laid by Jeeva's and all credit to her' and saying that he began to explain what he had in mind.

A family is like a forest. When you are outside it is dense, when you are inside you see that each tree has its place. African Proverb

Jannal Oram 384

Jeeva sat in the cool monsoon night air and breathed deeply the scents of the night and listened to the noises of the nightlife. The crickets and toads seemed to croak and chirrup non-stop and she wondered if they ever got tired.

But, all her attention was on the night sky which appeared to her as if white sparkling diamonds had been laid out on someone's dark skin. She wanted to scream her happiness out for it had been so long since she had seen the night sky in all its glory.

' All we city dwellers are surely cursed prisoners how have been sentenced to live our lives in cement, iron, and stone dungeons and birdcages and forever cursed to live away from the glory of the night sky and the beauty of a village and its fields ' she thought and began to hum one of her favorite songs from the 60s hit film " Paava manippu."

Vandha naal mudhal indha naal varai

Vaanam maaravillai

Vaan madhiyum neerum kadal kaatrum

Malarum mannum kodiyum solaiyum

Nadhiyum maaravillai

Manidhan maarivittaan

Madhathil yerivittaan

Ohhhh… ohhh… ohhhhh….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1HufYvcLvY

She heard them and the noises they made as they came towards her and then stopped hearing her sing and she too stopped and said ' Vaangamma, Vaanga. Ennada, romba nerem aache, varaliyeinnu nenachen. Vanthuteenga.'

Valliammai sweetly and cleverly sidestepped the barb and said' Jeeva, you sing so beautifully and if we hadn't come, then we would have missed hearing you sing.'

Jeeva looked around ' Oh, appo both the heroes sent the heroines to tackle the issue I see.'

Kamakshi ' illedi, In fact, both of them said that this is something that is between you and Ram and your dad even went to the extent of saying that it would be better if we waited for him to be here when we broached this rather difficult and delicate subject.'

Jeeva's laughter was like the gurgling of a spring and she gently pinching her mothers cheek said ' Sorry, but for me it is neither difficult or delicate and something that needs to be understood and accepted.'

She looked at her old mother and new mother ' what lies between Raman and Kavita is not something petty or unnatural but something pure and something that needs to be respected enough that it be left alone.'

Valliammai totally confused ' ennamma Jeeva, you are talking about it so casually. Isn't it obvious to you that Kavita is madly in love with your Husband.'

' Kavita that we know of but have you wondered how many others are maybe secretly in love with Raman or for that matter of fact how many women, married women are in love with another man who belongs to someone else.?'

Both Valli and Kamakshi had no reply to this statement and Jeeva looked at them with great understanding ' I know Raman and that is all that matters in the end.'

Kamakshi pushed her argument a bit deeper ' Even if Raman has control over his emotions, there is no telling what or how Kavita will react with him when they they are alone.'

Jeeva laughed aloud again and shook her head as if she found her mother's queries very silly in nature.

' ennadi, nee serious kekaren. But, you are laughing like Shivaji Ganesan in one of his dramatic movies.'

Jeeva looked at both of them and in a patient tone began to speak ' When Raman and Kavita were in Delhi, she kissed him and Raman told me about it and that is all that matters.'

Valliammai panicking ' kissa, enna kiss pathi ivallavu casula pesarema jeeva.'

Jeeva looked at both of them ' both you women need to know something. I once offered myself to Raman in his house and he turned me down and said we will wait for us to get married. Now forget that, take Kavita, she has been in love with Raman from their college days and if she had wanted to, she could have sent a proposal through her parents and brother but instead waited and is still waiting for him and poor thing is now going to wait her whole life for someone that she loves more than anything and can do nothing about it.'

She looked at both of them ' there is no reasoning with love or asking it why it comes and goes or when it will come and when it will go? Love just happens and sometimes it works and sometimes it does not.'

She looked at the stars ' Raman is not only my husband, lover, friend but also my child and my soul. They say mothers get affected and attached to their children when they are born and that their love and affection for their husband or lover reduces over time. But, I disagree for Raman will always come first in everything.

I love him so much that tomorrow if something should happen between him and Kavita, I will not think too much about it and will soon forget it. What I share with Raman Transcends this mortal body and its pathetic emotions such as jealousy, possessiveness, and other petty squabbles.'

Valliammai overwhelmed with the words of Jeeva hugged her tightly ' Jeeva, it is Raman who is blessed to have you with him. You, my sweet and dear child are worth a million Raman's and I say this even though he is my son.'

“There’s something about a heart that can love fully and purely, without blemish, even after it had been hurt. Such a heart is truly godlike."

Love need not speak volumes. It need not demand proof. It never has a happy ending - simply because it doesn't end as long as love is pure and true”.”

“Love ? Love is when you are ready to do every possible and positive thing for someone,”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn30Ubmfa6k

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

Words are but pictures of our thoughts. John Dryden

Thoughts are but the creations of our soul. Acting on those thoughts is what sets things in motion. As long as thoughts like the soul lie hidden in the abyss of our conscience, it is all okay and even if the embers flare up as ghostly flames in a person's eyes, they are still embers.

But, a single ember is enough to start a forest fire andit is too late for it spirals out of control. Where do we place a lid on such embers? where do we shut off the air and kill off the oxygen to the embers? where, but at the very source and at the very beginning of it all, in the soul and in the mind.

Good, bad, ugly and evil all stem and ooze from our soul and when they spill out into the open, they flow mightily as two rivers, twins from one womb. But, one carries light and one wallows in the dark.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.

2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.

3) You are Santa Claus.

4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . . . not piddling in your pants.

At age 12 success is . . . having friends.

At age 17 success is . . having a driver's license..

At age 35 success is . . . .having money.

At age 50 success is . . . having money.

At age 70 success is . .. . having a drivers license.

At age 75 success is . . . having friends.

At age 80 success is . . .. not piddling in your pants.

A married couple in their early 60s was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in a quiet, romantic little

restaurant.Suddenly, a tiny yet beautiful fairy appeared on their table.

She said, 'For being such an exemplary married couple and for being loving to each other for all this time, I will grant you each a wish. The wife answered, 'Oh, I want to travel around the world with my darling husband.'

The fairy waved her magic wand and - poof! -two tickets for the Queen Mary II appeared in her hands.

The husband thought for a moment: 'Well, this is all very romantic, but an opportunity like this will never come again. I'm sorry my love, but my wish is to have a wife 30 years younger than me.'

The wife and the fairy were deeply disappointed, but a wish is a wish. So the fairy waved her magic wand and

poof!..the husband became 92 years old.

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

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT by John Godfrey Saxe

It was six men of Indostan

To learning much inclined,

Who went to see the Elephant

(Though all of them were blind),

That each by observation

Might satisfy his mind.

one went " wall" and the second went " spear" and joined by the third who went " snake" and then the fourth scoffed "Nay, but a tree" and jumped in the fifth who said " fan" and the sixth and the last sniggered and said " rope, you idiots."

Six men and the elephant or the entire human race of nearly 7 billion holding on to an invisible God and calling him Jesus, Allah, Yahweh, Shiva, Buddha, Vishnu, and Ahura Mazda. Lest we forget, add the many billion who have come and gone before now.

We see and yet are blind to the truth. We feel the truth and yet ignore it out of arrogance.

I wonder what the elephant felt about the six blind men and what the elephant god feels about all us that can see and yet refuse to see.

Maybe, Mother Nature considers us a kind of experiment in her garden and we are just but weeds that may be weeded out to allow for better species to survive.

Maybe, God and religion along with weapons of mass destruction were deliberately thrown into the mix to see what will last and evolve from this rather sinister but naturally correct test that has been laid down before us to cross before we cross into an era of true consciousness and true conscience.

I sometimes sit by the window bathing in the soft light streaming through the neem trees and sometimes sit on the shore bathing in the subtle light streaming through the clouds.

Always the light kindles memories, stirs and evokes poems and prose in my Gully soul.

I myself am an audio and video recording equipment and with unlimited storage space.

From the time that young kid ran through the gullies of Doddamavalli and to the time now when I lay my mortal remains on the sand looking up at my soul soaring, gliding, hovering like a seagull, I wonder what each day and the years will bring forth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn9BUfUCL4I

Jannal Oram 384

Raman had vaguely understood what Jeeva's words had meant when they had been making love in the hospital bed and yet had chosen deliberately to ignore its importance. Standing before the screen he now chided himself for not having realized the gravity of what those words had meant and cursed his own goody, goody intelligence for not having been more ruthless.

He looked at Preetha ' Call the boss and tell him we have him.'

Preetha and the others jumped up from their chairs as if a million volts had zapped their butts and excitedly asked him ' where, where is he sir?'

Raman silently placed a finger on the screen and Balbir immediately typed a command and the screen was filled with the google map of the Kelambakkam-Vandalur road.

Shaji, meanwhile had made the call and V.K.Singh joining them looked at Raman excitedly ' do we know where he is Ram?'

Raman's face was set in stone and he replied ' Yes and I also know where he is going and what he is planning to do?'

Then he looked at his four colleagues ' Please give us both a few minutes of privacy.'

After they had left, Raman looked at V.K.Singh ' if we are going to do this, we will be needing a helicopter for we don't have much time to reach the destination and any delay means dire consequences.'

' Are you sure Raman?'

' Absolutely sure sir and I will explain it on the way there and sir, keep this to the bare minimum please for even the slightest leak will alert him, sir.'

V.k.Singh stared at Raman and then made a call on his mobile and said ' Brigadier, Raman is sure that he knows where the killer is and we will be needing a chopper along with your team and both heard Brigadier Sooryanarayanan's excited reply' Fantastic news and about time. Two minutes V.K, and we will be waiting for you on the helipad.'

V.k.Singh looked at Raman intensely ' was there something in the way you used the word leak?'

' Yes sir, I think you have someone along the pipeline who has been informing the killer. But, we don't have time for that now and we will come to it later and I promise that I will get him too and hand him over to you.'

The jeep took just two minutes to reach the helipad where, six commandos fully armed and ready in black stood waiting along with their team leader Brigadier Sooryanarayanan and for their boss V.k.Singh's orders.

His first orders were ' Radio silence. Mobiles in silent mode and nobody says, moves or does anything until I say so. Understood, soldiers.'

He took what one of the soldiers was offering and handed it to Raman who looked at it and V.k.Singh smiled ' Bulletproof vest, just in case Ram' and then asked ' do you know how to use a firearm son?'

Raman shook his head ' no sir, but I know how to use a knife' and lifting both his arms, said 'and also these two who have served me well all my life and I think that tonight that is all that I will be needing.'

The chopper lifted off and to Raman's surprise made very little noise and seeing his expression, V.k.Singh smiled jovially ' one of the latest gifts from our American friends, stealth, electronics, and electricity.'

Brigadier Sooryanarayan leaned into the conversation ' Raman, you surely are aware of Hybrid cars and battery-operated cars and to top that, you now have the formula E racing cars. This piece of technology started off as a Sikorsky firefly that could seat just the pilot and fly for just ten to twelve minutes and with a top speed of 90 to 95mph. That was in 2011 and we got this baby just early this year and it can now fly for nearly 30 to 35 minutes and at a top speed of 200 to 225 km and in case of any emergency, it has a diesel engine to back up and also which charges the battery as it works.'

Raman whistled his appreciation and then looked at V.K.Singh who nodded subtly and looked at the Brigadier and his men ' this sortie, this operation is now under Raman's control and all of you will follow his orders and take his directions and I mean that very seriously.'

Looking at the Brigadier ' Soorya, it means you too. Please, don't f..k up this mission using your own personal agenda and revenge as reasons and remember, that the country's safety comes first and you and me last.'

The brief silence after V.K.Singhs words were broken by the Pilots voice ' sir, we are here.'

V.k.Singh looked at Raman who nodded and then told the pilot ' set us down and return to the base and wait for my orders.'

Nine of them got down and watched the Helicopter leave without even a murmur and eight now looked at Raman who himself was looking at the skies that were slowly filling up with Monsoon clouds.

The clouds suddenly lit up with huge yellow and white bolts of electricity and then they all heard the sounds of thunder as it boomed all over them and the place where they had descended upon.

V.K.Singh looked at Raman ' Lad, are you absolutely sure ?'

' Yes sir, I am absolutely sure.'

V.K.Singh not able to control his curiosity that was bursting through every pore of his body looked at Raman who was staring into his I-pad and then spoke into his mobile ' Preetha, how much longer?'

Preetha's voice came through loud and clear ' Ten minutes sir and sir, If I may say so, you were absolutely correct sir and Congratulations.'

Raman smiled and asked ' Can you see my GPS signal Shaji? If so, tell me how far we are from that path that leads away from the main road?'

Shaji replied ' sir, you are about 50 meters from the path and if you hustle you can make it to the entrance sir.'

' Thank you Shaji. We are going into Radio silence and I will call you people only if it is really important. Thank you and a good job by all four of you. Bye.'

V.K.Singh finally mustered up enough will and asked what the others were aching to ask ' Ram, where are we and why do you think the killer will be coming here to this godforsaken place that is in the middle of nowhere?'

Raman smiled ' boss, We are in the place where an old black Santro was seen entering the path that leads away from the main road.'

' Ram, what black Santro son?'

' oh, the very same black Santro that is now coming towards us sir and being driven by our killer.'

He looked at all their stunned faces and placing a finger on his lips said ' no more questions please and let us move quickly and get into position for the killer will be here any moment.'

To you readers too, no more questions for right now it is time to move and act and the time for Raman's revenge.

Revenge first and answers later.

Jannal Oram 386

It had taken Jamun aka Malik, nearly three hours to reach Gulab when it normally would take only an hour or a little more. Surprisingly, some of the roads he thought would be manned by the Chennai Police were largely abandoned as the large city is mostly is after 11.30 PM.

There had been a couple of times when he thought that the end was near and had reached for his handgun that lay in the pocket of the car door and had nearly shot the constables who had looked very closely at him and his ID card. But, luckily for him at the last moment, he had been let go and allowed to pass.

The reason was that Chennai had seen a steady influx of workers from all over India and the IT Sector was one that had been flooded by many North Indians and very few spoke decent Tamil.

Malik's replies in Hindi and English had been more than enough to satisfy the curiosity of the local police although it would be very tough or nearly impossible if he had tried the same with Raman and his family for then he surely would have been body searched by Z category military commandos who would have shot first and asked questions later.

Malik still remembered his army days and also the reason why he had turned renegade and had been branded a traitor. So long ago and much before Gulab aka Sharmilee had entered his life and had made his world a better place.

He remembered the spray of machine guns and the sounds of the bullets as they hit the innocent villagers who had been branded terrorists and he recollected how his conscience had roared in reply and had in turn gunned down his own men. He had been a good and kind man but life and circumstances had turned him bitter and so he had turned a master assassin who killed for the highest bidder.

Then, Gulab had come, and she had come filled her own darkness and poison and together they had become a team of killers without conscience and a sense for what was right and wrong.

Jamun screamed his anger and frustration and slammed the steering wheel with his right hand and roared ' you stupid, stupid b...h. I told you again, and again and warned you not to take on that Raman and yet you ignored my words and are now lying dead along with our child.'

He saw a new check post looming in front of him as he reached the junction of Kelambakkam, Vandalur and Thiruporur road that would lead away from Kelambakkam and turn into the Vandalur-Kelambakkam highway and wiping his tears away, he slowly moved behind the cars in front of him and then when his turn came, rolled his window and an armed police constable bent down and looked at him through the window and said' Id proof sir'.

Jamun politely handed his Id which was his real one and the constable looked at it closely and then flashing a torchlight into his face asked ' Where are you coming from Mr.Dhanraj?'

' From work officer. I work with Polaris in the Tidel park branch.'

The Sub-Inspector looked again at the ID and then flashed his torchlight into Jamun's face and asked in a softer voice ' Have you been crying, sir?'

Jamun looked away and the tears that had been threatening now let loose from his eyes instead of the dark monsoon clouds that loomed over all of them in the night sky.

without bothering to wipe his tears, he smiled sadly at the Sub-Inspector and said ' Yes and how much ever I cry it will not get better for my dead wife is not going to return and neither is my child.'

The Sub-Inspector handed Jamun's ID back to him and said ' Sir, Time will heal everything, sir, even the worst losses and pain. Goodnight sir, and please drive carefully.'

Jamun gave him a genuine soulful smile and whispering his thanks and gratitude, slowly drove away and then turned right into the Vandalur-Kelambakkam road.

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

Rare and Noble

I thought you were there in the temple

I thought you were slumbering in sacred sites

I sought you near holy lakes and other waters

I valiantly climbed seven hills and other hills

and only caught a wisp of your trail and scent

holding on to that gossamer strand, string

of the web that you have cast all over me and us

I pulled and tugged and moved closed

and felt the tugs in my self

I dare not rip open my chest

for I am neither hanuman nor a surgeon

So, I heard you listened to you and

closing my eyes felt you in my mind and my soul

You were in me and You were me

There is now no more you and me and I

for thy name is God and they cosmic name is Love

Rare and uncommon is now regular, common, and routine

in my mind for thy name is kindness in a smile and of sight

Jannal Oram 387

“The darker the night, the brighter the stars,

The deeper the grief, the closer is God!” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment

One of the modus operandi of Jamun when on an assignment was to rent a few cars and leave them at strategic places in the cities where he operated. When he and Gulab had been sent to Chennai to handle Raman and any potential witnesses that posed danger to both Santoshi and Minister Vaidyanathan, they had rented two cars from " Zoomcar and self-drive cars" for their own personal use and one of them was the Black Santro that Jamun was currently driving.

Ten minutes after entering the now desolate stretch of Vandalur-Kelambakkam road, he spotted the cell phone tower that loomed on his left and slowed the car to a crawl and hugging the darkness soon found the small broken down path that ran away from the road into the thick vegetation area that belonged to the forest department and turned in.

He drove slowly for the path had huge potholes and even the high clearance of the Santro car was not enough for the floor scraped and the small city vehicle protested loudly for being used so callously but valiantly forged on.

Thick grass hemmed on both sides hemmed the car in and it was with great difficulty that Malik managed to open the door and tucking his handgun behind in his pants walked away into the darkness.

Even he would have had great difficulty in finding the exact spot in the darkness for he had come there just once and like now in total darkness and in great pain and sorrow.

Just yesterday, he had come carrying her body that had already begin to stiffen with Rigor mortis. He had walked the same path carrying his dead child that lay tombed alive inside his creator and his brain remembered everything.

Ten steps straight, left and ten steps straight and right and there was the gentle rise of land covered by bushes and with one leap, he landed on the mound on his knees and then slowly laid his hands on the site where he had buried Gulab, the love of his life.

He spoke to her ' Baby, we have to go away from here for I am going to give you a proper burial before my last moves. I am doing this for there is no telling how things are going to turn out and there is a chance that I might not come back for you and our child. I cannot leave you and out child buried out here all alone and with nobody to care for you both. So, I have come back baby and I hope you are okay with that.'

He began to whistle softly and smiling, said ' Gulab, remember your favorite song from Sharmilee and how you use to ask me to hum it as we made love and after we had made love. Remember all those times when you spooned your body into mine and used to curl up in my arms and beg me to sing the same song. Well, I will sing it you Gulab, one last time before we leave here.'

His voice choking with emotion, he sang in a soft voice that sounded like a lullaby to all the night creatures and the night fell silent as the lost, lonely and heart-broken man sang into the dark of the night from the darkness of his soul.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBgKPyi1aXA

Khilte hai gul yahaan, khilke bikharane ko

Khilte hai gul yahaan, khilke bikharane ko

Milte hai dil yahaan, milke bichhadane ko

Milte hai dil yahaan, milke bichhadane ko

Khilte hai gul yahaan

Kal rahe naa rahe, mausam ye pyaar ka

Kal ruke na ruke, dolaa bahaar ka

Kal rahe naa rahe, mausam ye pyaar ka

Kal ruke na ruke, dolaa bahaar ka

Chaar pal mile jo aaj, pyaar me guzaar de

Khilte hai gul yahaan, khilke bikharane ko

Khilte hai gul yahaan

Jhilo ke hotho par, megho kaa raag hai

Phulo ke sine me, thandi thandi aag hai

Jhilo ke hotho par, megho kaa raag hai

Phulo ke sine me, thandi thandi aag hai

Dil ke aaine me tu, ye samaa utaar de

Khilte hai gul yahaan, khilke bikharane ko

Khilte hai gul yahaan

Pyaasaa hai dil sanam, pyaasi ye raat hai

Hotho me dabi dabi, koi mithi baat hai

Pyaasaa hai dil sanam, pyaasi ye raat hai

Hotho me dabi dabi, koi mithi baat hai

In lamho pe aaj tu, har khushi nisaar de

Khilte hai gul yahaan, khilke bikharane ko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OjiOn5s8s8

I know the feeling

Of finding yourself stuck out on the ledge

And there ain't no healing

From cuttin' yourself with the jagged edge

I'm tellin' you that it's never that bad

And take it from someone who's been where your at

You're laid out on the floor and you're not sure

You can take this anymore

So just give it one more try

With a lullaby

And turn this up on the radio

If you can hear me now

I'm reachin' out to let you know

That you're not alone

And you can't tell, I'm scared as hell

'Cause I can't get you on the telephone

So just close your eyes

Well honey here comes a lullaby

Your very own lullaby

Please let me take you

Out of the darkness and into the light

'Cause I have faith in you

That you're gonna make it through another night

Stop thinkin' about the easy way out

There's no need to go and blow the candle out

Because you're not done, you're far too young

And the best is yet to come

So just give it one more try

With a lullaby

And turn this up on the radio

If you can hear me now

I'm reachin' out to let you know

That you're not alone

And you can't tell, I'm scared as hell

'Cause I can't get you on the telephone

So just close your eyes

Well honey here comes a lullaby

Your very own lullaby

Well everybody's hit the bottom

And everybody's been forgotten

Well everybody's tired of being alone

Yeah everybody's been abandoned

And left a little empty-handed

So if you're out there barely hangin', on

Just give it one more try

With a lullaby

And turn this up on the radio

If you can hear me now

I'm reachin' out to let you know

That you're not alone

And you can't tell, I'm scared as hell

'Cause I can't get you on the telephone

So just close your eyes

Well honey here comes a lullaby

Your very own lullaby

Well honey here comes a lullaby

Your very own lullaby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RtTFP2TNcM

Just one more moment, that's all that's needed,

Like wounded soldiers in need of healing

Time to be honest, this time I'm pleading,

Please don't dwell on it, 'cause I didn't mean it

I can't believe I said I'd lay our love on the ground,

But it doesn't matter 'cause I made it up, forgive me now

Everyday I spend away, my soul's inside out,

Gotta be some way that I can make it up to you now, somehow

By now you know that I'd come for you

No one but you, yes, I'd come for you

But only if you told me to

And I'd fight for you

I'd lie, it's true

Give my life for you

You know I'd always come for you

I was blindfolded, but now I'm seeing,

My mind was closing, now I'm believing

I finally know just what it means to let someone in,

To see the side of me that no one does, or ever will

So if you're ever lost and find yourself all alone,

I'd search forever just to bring you home,

Here and now, this I vow

By now you know that I'd come for you

No one but you, yes, I'd come for you

But only if you told me to

And I'd fight for you

I'd lie, it's true

Give my life for you

You know I'd always come for you

You know I'd always come for you

No matter what gets in my way

As long as there's still life in me

No matter what, remember

You know I'd always come for you

Yes I'd come for you, no one but you,

Yes I'd come for you, but only if you told me to

And I'd fight for you,

I'd lie, it's true

Give my life for you,

You know I'd always come for you

No matter what gets in my way,

As long as there's still life in me

No matter what, remember, you know I'd always come for you

I'd crawl across this world for you,

Do anything you want me to

No matter what, remember, you know I'd always come for you

You know I'd always come for you.

Jannal Oram 388

It took Dhanraj Malik Aka Jamun just a moment to find the spade that he had buried near the right side of Gulab and using his fingers, he scratched it out and still kneeling used the spade to scoop out the sticky mud that was pregnant with the rain from the heavens.

Slowly and carefully, he scooped out the mud taking great care not to hurt Gulab's body and then the blue plastic sheet showed itself and at the same time, the clouds moved away and the full moon shone down on him and the shallow grave in which lay his love, carrying his love-child.

The stench from the decomposition would have been unbearable for most but it did not seem to affect Jamun, whose mind was too wrapped in his own rapture of love and a strange malady seemed to have taken over his senses.

slowly, he lowered himself into the grave and unwrapped the plastic sheets and the foul stench hit him hard and even then he just smiled and whispered ' Baby, I am sorry that I could not bathe you and dress you properly. But, it is okay for I will do all that and more and give you a beautiful burial.'

He laughed silently ' Gulab, money, will get you anything and make people do anything you want. I have made arrangements with a crematorium in Chengalpattu that is just 40 km from here. The man in charge wanted a lakh when the usual charges are just 500 and sometimes free for poor people. Stupid guy for I would have paid ten times that amount if he had demanded it.

The one lakh includes a priest and lots of flowers. Lots of red roses. Just like you would have wanted, Gulab.'

The full moon that had been bathing Gulab's face with its reflected yellow light suddenly vanished plunging them in darkness and Jamun looked up to see if the monsoon rain-bearing clouds had gathered in force to blot out the night sky and the full moon.

His eyes opened wide for blotting the moon with his head and broad shoulders was the tall figure of his enemy and his eyes slowly went from left to right and took in two old men, one who was dressed in civilian clothes while the other was dressed in army special forces uniform and the machine gun was pointed directly at him.

His eyes peered into the dark and took in six more commandos, all fully armed and ready to fire and fill him with bullets.

Jamun's eyes returned to focus on Raman whose face was covered by darkness and yet his head was lit up with a halo and both the foes stared at each other and he said ' Welcome Raman, I am Dhanraj Malik and this here is my dead Gulab.'

Lord Ram stood alone before Raavan. Raavan stood in his mighty Golden chariot looking down at the slim, dark young God and then slowly lifting his mighty Bow, aimed his arrow at Lord Ram.

The young Prince who would soon be king of Ayodhya lifted his bow and let loose his arrow. It pierced the arrow of the demon king and forged ahead like the sun piercing through the darkness of the night and removed the golden jeweled crown of Raavan.

God and Rakshas exchanged arrows and one by one Raavan lost all his ten crowns and all his weapons and stood looking at his broken bow, the mighty weapon that all Gods had feared but not this one.

He looked up slowly from his broken bow and at the face of the young god and smiled ' So, it is as it was destined and foretold.'