*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4 - Page 81

Jannal Oram 400

What we see on television is not the whole truth? What we read in newspapers is never the whole truth? What we see too with our own eyes is never ever the truth? What appears before us, is the truth, and truth, is what we make of it in our own mind,s and that mind is another rather sticky subject altogether.

They had seen Modi roaring in pure Hindi and sometimes quoting in chaste and pure Sanskrit and some of them in the room thought of him as a fanatic, a Hindu fundamentalist and a dictator.

But, none could say that the man had no charisma for it flowed like the deep sea and filled the room and filled their beings.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted all of them with folded hands and addressed them ' I am very sorry for this rude interruption of what seems to be a sacred family moment. But, I was pressed for time and I had to meet Mr.Raman and thank him in person for his services before I left for Delhi.'

Raman who had been sitting on the bed slowly got to his feet and saluted his new boss, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, who himself quickly covered the distance and went into the center of the circle where Raman was and both shook hands warmly.

The door opened and two army men carrying small trays entered and stood on either side of Prime Minister Modi who reached to his right and picked up a small medallion with a purple ribbon and pinned it to Raman's heavily bandaged chest

Prime Minister Modi looked at the medallion on the bandages ' A fitting place for a fitting decoration. It is no wonder that both your seniors here have been filling my ears with your praises.'

Raman did not know what he did or why he did for he did it unconsciously. He bent and touched the feet of Narendra Modi who blessed him and then looking into Raman's eyes ' we just go back Ram Janmabhoomi and we now have a Raman to go with it. How fitting?'

' Sir, if you don't mind, will you join us for breakfast, please?'

Hearing this bold but sweet request, Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned to see Kamakshi holding a plate of Rava Kesari and replied ' Thank you Ji. I caught the smells of all this delicious food as I entered and went mad with hunger and just as I was thinking that I might have to go back without sampling all this awesome looking food, here you are with a plate full of my favorite dish.'

He took the plate offered by Jeeva's mother Kamakshi and placed a spoon full of sweet Kesari into his mouth and went still in shock as if he had been suddenly electrified by an open wire and quickly ate a few more spoonfuls and looked at Kamakshi ' behenji, what is this? Please, don't ever call it Rava Kesari for that will be an insult. This is nectar, ambrosia from the heavens and maybe this is what the Devas and Asuras were churning the oceans for.'

Kamakshi blushed like a teenage girl and Raman said ' Sir, that Nectar is just the tip of the ice-berg for our lady who also happens to be both my mother and mother-in-law has many other nectars up her sleeve.'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent nearly 25 minutes with them and then he slowly stood up and looked at all of them and said ' I am inviting all of you to my place for lunch and I would be honored if all of you accept my request and grace me with your presence.'

Raman looked at him ' sir, you but have to order and we will be there and it will be a great honor for all of us.'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held Raman's hands ' beta, the honor will be mine. All of you look at me as the Prime Minister when in fact I am just your servant and I am here to serve all of you.'

Folding his hands ' we will talk more, soon and often, Ram. But, now rest, heal and recover completely and come and join us for this great nation's needs souls and leaders like you. Not just to protect and defend but also lead us into a better and greater future.'

Raman saluted his boss, the Prime Minister of India and said ' I will sir and that is a promise.'

They all stood still and pinched themselves to see if it was all real or a dream and if they had just spent so much quality time with their nation's leader.

Raman looked at Jeeva ' did you feel the fire burning in him?' and Jeeva nodded ' yes baby. But, his eyes were the ones that were really captivating.'

Slowly, all of them gathered around Raman and touched the rather dull looking medal with its vague purple colors and Shaktivel wondered ' what is this medal and what does it stand for?'

General V.K.Singh, Additional secretary, office of joint operation, RAW glanced with a smile at Brigadier Sooryanarayanan who answered Raman's father's question ' That, people is the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military decoration, awarded for distinguished acts of valor during wartime. Param Vir Chakra translates as the "Wheel of the Ultimate Brave", and the award is granted for "most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy".

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

“Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper,

That we may record our emptiness.”― Kahlil Gibran

The shot that was being set up was the entry portion of the scene in which I along with the hero and heroine of the serial get out of the car and are greeted by our family members. The monsoon rains had slowed from a heavy downpour to drizzling and soon that too stopped and the air was full of dampness and yes, also, humidity.

The cameraman went about setting up the lights and fixing the positions of all of us actors and while that was going on, I caught sight of some friends dressed in green and white uniforms and my memory flashed back to my childhood school days in Krishnaswamy matriculation school when I too wore green shorts with white half-hand shirt. Green remained green but the white was never white and was seven varying degrees of brown and black and each stain and tear telling a story and a memory by itself. Climbing walls, climbing trees, clambering up pipes and staying true to my Hanuman roots as I climbed to steal mangoes and guavas and retrieve kites that were caught in branches and rooftops.

But, these friends dressed in white and green were plants, shrubs and they were decked in diamonds and pearls of dewdrops.

The tender white petals held in their arms, one and many drops of rain babies that the heavens had delivered and cradled them and cherished them with plant lullabies. In every movement of the plant and petals, I saw mothers cradling their babies and burying them with tender kisses and so I sang and cradled the petals with my fingers and brought them with my camera to introduce them all to you.

I wish you a great Sunday. Be well.

Jannal Oram 401

“One day you will ask me which is more important? My life or yours? I will say mine and you will walk away not knowing that you are my life.” ― Khalil Gibran

Raman requested the driver to stop and the army jeep slowly came to a halt which prompted Jeeva to ask him ' Ram, have we forgotten something?'

He shook his head and got out, his every movement still compromised heavily due to his tightly taped ribcage and Jeeva too got out with him and then realized the reason for them stopping.

Both of them stood with folded hands before the small but beautiful idol of Lord Ganesha and prayed to him. It was a small temple just outside the Army base and done with the prayers, they got it and the jeep moved away.

Raman touched the driver's shoulder, who immediately turned and said ' Saab, Tambaram crematorium. Kal raat, Bade saab orders diya hum sabko.'

Raman made a noise that clearly transmitted his irritation and the armed corporal who sat in the front seat turned to face Raman who was sitting in the backseat along with Jeeva and said ' Major Saab, just precautionary protection detail sir. Just six of us and we will stay out of your way.'

Raman thanked him and stared out of the window as the army jeep sped towards the crematorium, his thoughts full of lovers and assassins.

Jeeva placed her hand on his and Raman glanced at her and she could see that he was far away in his own thoughts and she said in a soft voice ' Jannal Oram. Remember baby, when our eyes met first met and when our souls connected and yet our bodies stayed apart until that too joined and we became one and our path became one.'

Raman remained silent and offered no magical companion words to her recollection but his eyes were attentive and only on her.

' Ram, there were so many times when I used to sit and sneakingly watch your every movement and enjoy it although it was very frustrating for you are an entity that hardly makes any movements. But, then I began to observe you very closely and learnt to read your eyes and the movements of your eyelids and the way they cringed, blinked, wrinkled, closed and opened and from those subtle movements I peeked a bit into your mind and thoughts.'

Raman's expression softened and the only hint of that softening was the ghost of the smile that flared in his eyes and lips and Jeeva said ' see, that subtle change of mood and I learnt to read that too and it only made me love you more every passing day.'

Raman gave her a rueful smile and said ' sorry baby but..'

' But what Ram? But what... You will not say it and maybe the real reason is that you yourself don't know what it is you are going through and what is happening to you?'

Raman looked at her accusingly and Jeeva hurriedly shook her head ' I am sorry but I meant no offense and I honestly did not mean to hurt you more than you are hurting already.

I was just looking at you as you were staring out of the window and my memory flashed back to the bus window and I compared that to the window of this army jeep that we are traveling in and towards a crematorium of all places. From an advocate to a Major who has been secretly awarded the Param Vir Chakra and that too by the Prime Minister himself.'

Raman slowly clasped her hand in his and looked at her ' It does not matter baby for no matter which window you sit by and no matter where you journey to, I promise I will be there.'

Jeeva smiled ' I know, for you are my sky, my sun, my moon, my universe, and my everything.'

Suddenly, Jeeva gasped in shock and froze but not with fear on her face but joy, happiness filling her entire being and Raman looked at her and asked ' enna, enna Jeeva?'

She took his hand and placed it on her womb and looked at him and Raman felt for the first time,the movements one or maybe both their children were making and he felt a strange sense of some dark shroud being removed from his soul and then he slowly placed both his palms of her womb and whispered ' Good morning Vijay. Good morning Suja. I am Raman, your father and I want you to know that I love you very much.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z1AmqECfDY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-os3ksSZVY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdXZJ6dsaW4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn9GDeIHioE

Jannal Oram 402

“Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.” Khalil Gibran, The Prophet

Money will buy you anything. Power and fear will get anything done for you. Respect will get it done, a bit slowly and eventually. But, add all this up and together all of them will probably open the gates of heaven for you and make angels and gods wait on your every breath and thought.

But, rather than the heavens, it was the Tambaram Crematorium that was on full attention with a deputy collector, an Additional Commissioner and the AE standing in wait for all of them and ready to serve.

Word had trickled down from up north to the fort in Chennai and from the Prime Minister's office to the Chief Minister's office and all sorts of Government employees tripped over their own feet trying to be pleasant and Raman gave a pointed look at Jeeva and then both watched as the other jeep carrying both V.K.Singh and Brigadier Sooryanarayanan pulled up behind them.

Hands were shaken. Heads were nodded and looks were given and then the A.E, Assistant Engineer, the man in charge of the crematorium came up to them and very politely informed them that the bodies were ready to be cremated although the request had been a bit strange and totally creepy.

The man had a small paunch that was the only thing visible on his rather thin frame and he had tried to cover his bald pate with the little hair that was left but that was swiftly losing the fight with premature balding.

Raman looked at him ' creepy. What is creepy about cremating two people who are in love, sir?'

The man smiled and hesitated for he was unsure if he was even allowed to reply or talk with them and then shrugging his shoulders, mustered courage and said ' two bodies being cremated and that too, together as one and at the same time, surely is creepy in my book.'

And then, not understanding the gravity of the situation blurted ' I surely don't want to die at the same time as my wife and most certainly don't want to be cremated or buried with her for she has haunted me enough while I lived and breathed and so, God help me and grant me peace at least now in death.'

The words were spoken spontaneously and so innocently that it reached Raman's soul and even before he could control it, the snort of a laugh escaped his lips and then unable to control himself he burst out and that set it off for everyone.

Laughter is sometimes the best medicine my readers and all you forum members and all four of them laughed so loudly and for long that the Assistant Engineer who was in charge glared at them and then quickly retreated for being at the center of the joke.

V.K.Singh removed his glasses and wiped the tears of joy and pointing in the direction of the man who had run away ' I think that must be the most unhappiest B..t..d in this entire universe. I really want to go with him and see this wife of his who has reduced him to this level of depression.'

Raman still laughing looked at Jeeva and said ' Oru wifa manage panrathe, so difficult, how did Ravan manage all his wives' and then he looked at the others ' I had a lot of free time and so I finally got time to watch some television and my bad luck, I saw some really sad stuff on Sun tv.'

All three of them looked at him and Raman continued ' I think it was at three in the afternoon and the tv serial was called Kalyana parisu or some s..tty name and I saw this poor guy stuck between two wives and the saddest part was he had four daughters and I saw the poor dog's face and I nearly broke my ribs once again by laughing for it was so damn funny.'

Jeeva looked at him ' Paavam, edho nallu kassukaga act panraanga.Let them also survive.'

Raman waved his hand in protest ' Ille Jeeva, what was so damn funny and tragic was the question as to how he could even think of a second wife when he was already married and a father to three daughters.'

Jeeva with a stern expression ' hello, sir, soon, very soon you too are going to be a dad to two children, okay.'

Raman hurriedly shut up and looked at both his seniors and V.K.Singh mumbled ' And the rumor and myth is that we men are supposedly the heads of the house. In your dreams, son.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua_f7U4j_nw

WATCH FROM 2.23 TO 5.04

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

“You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts.” ― Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

I, used to talk but I don't talk much anymore and I hardly talk at work, at places where my profession as an actor takes me. The book that I am reading and the book that is waiting to be read are my only companions and since I am always the first one to report to the location, I immediately place a chair against the wall and my bags next to it and I am prepared and ready for the day and whatever it brings.

Whatever I am about to say are my opinions only and I am solely responsible for them and if they happen to offend you in any way, I am sorry for that is honestly not my intention.

The word Prostitution at once conjures all that is sleazy, filthy and sinful and yet it is one of the oldest professions of the human civilizations and it includes both the sexes.

What a person does with his or her body is their own choice and I absolutely have no opinions or judgments about it and I will even go as far as saying what I often say and repeat.

Prostitutes are far better than those citizens who seel their votes for money. Prostitutes only sell their bodies and probably do that to make a living and to care for their family members.

But, what do you say or do about those who sell their consciences and soul for petty cash and steer the country into hell and hand over the reign to devils and demons?

But, I, Satish, have found a new insight and new way to look at prostitution and which we all experience in varying degrees of exposure at our workplace.

I will share my experiences and then you can compare it with your experiences and decide for yourselves if what I say is true or false. I sincerely hope that most of you are shielded from such exposures.

Importantly, I promise to keep it short and brutally simple.

All those who are the butt of jokes and unwanted attention from your colleagues and office members, raise your hands. All those who feel that they have to put up with all sorts of sleazy jokes, talk, gossip for the sake of maintaining peace and harmony at the workplace, raise your hands. All those who remain silent and at peace even at the cost of self-respect, raise your hands. All those who put up with bulls..t from seniors and those who are higher than you in the pecking order, raise your hands.

Now, tell me, if selling your body is prostitution, then selling your peace and mind and having to put up with so-called colleagues c..p is also a subtler form of prostitution.

Well, when you are given just a small space to share with the other actors and when you have to sit in a corner and listen to them gossip about their own fellow actresses in detail and then go and act with the same person who is acting like their mothers, sisters, and wives, what do you do but think and react like I am doing right now.

I sit on a daily basis sharing space, breathing space with such characters who are ready to say anything just to get a laugh and who will behave in the worst way possible just to get attention and I feel like a soul prostitute who has to put up with all the s..t just to make two ends meet and to make a quiet living.

Now, be honest, am I not touching on something similar that we all share in our daily lives.

A body prostitute will scrub and wash clean his or her body away but how do we soul prostitutes wash away the dirt from our souls?

The womb of a mother is a sealed box

a god-given incubator and the first storage space

the cradle a semi-sealed box

and soon our cupboards and rooms add to the boxes

the apartment we live in is really a box among other boxes

but the body is the real box and that box too

is lowered into the earth box to be buried

or sent into a flaming box to be cremated

body box or box body, sealed and damned

and the soul another perfect container

another boxy thingy holding all that is good

and all that is bad and evil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN4pgYzuRb4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB8YmyWznss

Jannal Oram 403

“One is never afraid of the unknown; one is afraid of the known coming to an end.” ― Krishnamurti

Raman stood with his hands folded across his chest with Jeeva by his side. Both V.K.Singh and Brigadier Sooryanarayanan had preferred to stay and wait outside while the last rites and the cremation was being done for the two killer duo who lay side by side wrapped in white bandages.

The whole air was heavy with the scent of Eau de Cologne that had been used on the body of the woman who they only knew of as Sharmilee and that information had come from the licenses and passports that the police department had retrieved from the places both the killers had been frequenting during their mission.

Raman gently threw his right arm around Jeeva and held her close to himself and told her in a whisper ' Baby, maybe it is better if you skip this and go and wait with the oldies while I see this through to the end.'

She looked at him and Raman knew what her answer was when she threw both her arms around his waist and held him tightly and said ' My place is by your side, good or bad and in sickness and health.'

Both of them looked at each other and he said 'thanks' and saw a frown fill her beautiful face and then it merged with fury and turned into a glare and then that too died down and an ethereal glow filled her face and Jeeva said ' we are way past such formalities and apologies, my man and I am telling you now that I want you to take me for granted. I really mean that and I say it from the most purest part of my soul. I am yours and I will remain yours no matter what happens and until my last breath leaves my body.'

Raman's eyes went wet with emotion and he placed a soft kiss on her head and looked at the priest who was looking their way and desperately trying to make eye contact, and asked ' Yes, sollunga.'

The priest, a frail man in his early 70s looked just about ready to suffer a heart attack for the heavy presence of armed army commandos along with equally deadly looking Police commandos had frightened him enough already and from the way he squeaked his question, it became clear to Raman that the fear of God had been instilled into him by the authorities or whoever it was that had contacted him.

' Iyaa, I was only told an hour back about this engagement and so I am in the dark and a bit confused about how to proceed.'

Raman looked at Jeeva in confusion and then asked the priest ' Enna confusion, sir?'

' Vanthu, vanthu, ille...'

Jeeva glared at him ' vanthavanga vanthachu, vanthu,irunthum poiyaachu. Just be clear and don't waste time please.'

The thin legs of the priest began to shiver horribly and if it was because of the fear and nervousness that the poor man was feeling, it was not showing itself on his face and Raman taking pity on him asked him politely ' sorry, sollunga, enna doubtu.'

' sir, my first question is if they both are Hindus and if they are Hindus, are they Vaishnavaites or Saivaites? for only then can I proceed to say the sacred shlokas before sending them off into the hands of Agni.'

Raman hesitated and then said ' Both of them are Hindus that I am sure about. But, I am not sure about the answer to the second question of yours.'

Jeeva looked at the priest ' neenga enna? vainavama ille saivama? I mean iyera ille Iyengara?'

' Iyer thaanma. yemma?'

She smiled and told him ' Ungalukku therinchatha pannunga sir. No problem.'

Raman nodded and told the priest ' Hariyum Sivanum onnu. Please proceed.'

The priest quickly went about his work and doing the shorter version of what he would have normally done and began to chant and Raman informed Jeeva ' that is from Thevaram,Kolaru Pathigam.'

She smiled sadly ' namma situationkku etha paatu thaan. I hope all our problems are our now and that our troubles and sorrow are all behind us now for we have lost a lot and sacrificed too much in these past few months.'

She nudged him and asked him ' What do these words mean Ram?'

In Tamil, KOL means planets as well as evil. ARU in Tamil means that which cuts, shreds, blows into smithereens. The meaning of the word requires careful interpretation. What it actually means is the destruction of the evil effects of planets. For a devotee of Lord Neelakanta Siva who has Parvathi as his other half, chanting or listening to the hymn will convert all the evil into good. The last line of every verse contains this pledge and assurance. Each verse describes Lord Neelkanta Siva along with Goddess Uma Maheshwari. Interestingly, the hymn has references to Ravana. The hymn also says that Vishnu and Brahma would help the devotees of Siva.

" Mantras/ shlokas/ hymns have tremendous power. When you chant them or listen to them, it is believed that the positive vibrations emanating from these hymns/ shlokas have an encompassing effect around your home".

The unique feature of Kolaru Pathigam is that it addresses all the planets and pleads with Lord Neelkantha Shiva to reduce/erase the ill effects of planets.

This powerful hymn sung by Thiru Gnana Sambandhar pleads for Lord Shiva's protection against the ill effects of planets. This hymn, says Dr. Jayabharathi, is not only good for removing the ill effects of planets and stars. It is used to overcome all ills, obstacles, dangers. The significance is that those who chant it or those who listen to it will find that all the evils eventually turn to good. This is what is reiterated again and again in the verses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PctKeRA0ZPo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmEhqGLbmGs&list=PLrNyowkmtyeB0DzXYfAGTuI2dN2tH2mh5&index=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9SatRoyCY&list=PLrNyowkmtyeB0DzXYfAGTuI2dN2tH2mh5&index=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHm8VhgO9p4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyrGjKbx5Go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx1613o_uDA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG8yQD39A-g

Jannal Oram 404

There is no such thing as an empty space or an empty time. There is always something to see, something to hear. In fact, try as we may, to make a silence, we cannot. John Cage

The priest did his job albeit quickly but thoroughly and looked beseechingly at Raman and Jeeva in an attempt to convey to them that he wanted to flee the place and the presence of both the dead and the living.

Raman thanked him and asked him to leave and go wait outside while they stood in silence and in privacy. The priest was only too happy to oblige and disappeared like the rain during summer in Chennai. Here one moment and gone the next.

Just when Jeeva thought that they were done she saw Raman reaching into his pant pocket and bringing out a mobile phone and she said ' baby, that is that man's mobile phone. What are you planning to do with it now?'

Raman looked at her ' I am going to remove the battery and then chuck the phone along with them and end all our connections with them, once and for all.'

She saw him toying with the mobile and then she watched as he switched it on and the screen came alive in white light. Raman entered the phone memory and pressed on the single audio file and glanced at Jeeva ' one last try sweetie and then we are done here.'

Raman watched the audio file morph and spread into an app and a single question filled the screen now and the question was " say the magic words and enter."

Raman said " Dhanraj" and the screen went blank and came back as " say the magic words and enter" and next he tried saying " Sharmilee" and again the same thing happened. Tiring of the exercise and realizing that it was futile and a total waste of time, Raman looked at both the bodies and said angrily ' I am sorry, Dhanraj, and Sharmilee, but I have better things to do' and immediately a loud beep from the phone filled the air and the screen went blank and text began to fill it.

' Thank you Mr.Raman. One last puzzle, sing it and we can go our own ways.'

Raman did not hesitate and in his gruff, manly voice growled into the phone and sang from the memory he had of Dhanraj and the little that he had learnt about his lover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTqz4JIN7UM

khilte hain gul yahaa, khil ke bikhar ne ko

milte hain dil yahaa, mil ke bichhadane ko

kal rahe naa rahe, mausam ye pyaar kaa

kal ruke naa ruke, dolaa bahaar kaa

chaar pal mile jo aaj pyaar mein gujaar do

Flowers bloom here only to wilt after blooming

Hearts unite here only to separate after uniting

Whether this season of love exists or not tomorrow

Whether this flow of spring stops or not tomorrow

Whether this season of love exists or not tomorrow

Whether this flow of spring stops or not tomorrow

Live the few moments that you have today in love

In all our searching, the only thing we've found that makes the emptiness bearable is each other. Carl Sagan

I sat with you, empty and you sat by my side, bereft and bereaved

souls that traveled from the same essence and same fold

feeling bereaved is not a tragedy here but the separation

of I, you and all from IT, you know who I am talking about

IT, that eternal, infinite expanse of energy and life

We sat exchanging notes on life and

then we exchanged our emptiness

and love was born

love that makes all things possible

and importantly bearable

Love in the form of friends

lovers, family, and partners

We sat with each other's emptiness

and then we decided to mix them both

and a new emptiness was born

with DNA from both our souls

I see you. You see me

I feel you. You feel me

I accept you. You, accept me

And that will do, to make this possible and bearable. This voyage, called life, and living.