From & To Sathish #5 - Page 47

https://youtu.be/vaLic0L0p34

Vaanathai Pola 439

Dr Raja Rao had ordered his new team of doctors to take the patient called Raman down to Level Four and prepare him for a proper examination. Informing them that he would join them in a few minutes he had come to his office to make a few calls in privacy and in peace. The plan to infect all the passengers of Qantas 380 on their trip to London had failed and a master plan was destroyed. It had taken years of planning and recruiting people to carry out the Hijacking and now all was lost and their plan lay in ruins.

Tired, dejected and also worried how "ALPHA" the head of their secret group, Sons of Gaia was going to react to this latest setback. This was not the first time that their plans had failed for a few years earlier, the other nemesis " Rudran " had thwarted all their plans and had killed all their clones. All ten of them and single-handedly and if that was not enough, he had begun to track and hunt members of their organization. Dozens of leading doctors and scientists had disappeared under mysterious circumstances and never heard from again. Rudran who had earlier been judged as a slight and passing threat had become their enemy no.1 and one of their most dangerous adversaries after he had taken control of " Chakravyuh " and had been given a free hand in its affairs.

He had then proceeded to take matters into his own hand and had been pursuing them doggedly and eliminating their members one by one and now very few of them remained. Just Seven of them. If one or all of them were hunted down then that would be the end of their group " Sons of Gaia " and all their hard and pioneering work in science would have all been in vain. Rudran had been the main reason why they had paused all their efforts and had delayed their next move and execution of their next plan. But now that too had been defeated and by one man. One man, called Raman.

Dr Raja Rao knew in his heart that Alpha, the head of the " Sons of Gaia" had not told them everything concerning the person or organization who was funding their secret group and its endeavours. But in his heart, he knew that there was someone or something behind all that they were doing, as it is in all matters concerning life, and those people were far scarier and dangerous than Alpha himself.

Alpha had once accidentally mentioned that he was just a tool, a means through which a fight was being fought and for a good reason. He had not said anything more than that and clammed up in what appeared to be fear. He had looked at Dr Raja Rao and said, ' Comrade, I know only half of what is going on and which is frightening, to say the least, and I dare not imagine what the other half could be. Suffice to say that, we are fighting not only for Mother Earth but all its creations.'

But then he a man of science and who had spent most of his time with his head buried deep in the study of Physiology of the human cell and had spent little time in the matters of psychology and emotions. He knew very little of what total faith and devotion meant and, a confirmed Atheist, he knew very little of God or the power that was behind the known universe.

He made the call that connected him to Alpha.

' Comrade, is the patient in your custody and in level four?'

' Yes, Alpha and I have informed everybody that he is out of bounds to all of them but to me and my new team that you have recommended.'

' Good. Now we wait for someone to come for him.'

' Alpha, I don't understand you. I had assumed that I was going to examine the patient and study him.'

' No Comrade. The patient is just the bait. Our real goal is to capture the one who will come to his rescue.'

Dr Raja Rao finding Alpha's words a bit odd and confusing asked, ' So, all these reinforcements done secretly to level four is not for the patient?'

' No comrade. It was all done anticipating someone else or at least that is what I have been told.'

' You mean to say..' and he was interrupted, ' I meant exactly what I just said, Dr Rao. I myself have no clue as to who or what is going to come to rescue the patient. All I know for certain at this time is that they will come.'

Tiredly, Dr Raja Rao asked, ' what are my orders now, Alpha?'

' Patience. Check the patient and do what you can for him and nothing more for he is of no consequence right now.'

' Okay, Alpha. I will keep you updated on any new developments.'

Alpha assured him in his feeble old voice, ' Dr Rao, the reinforcements that have been done is enough to contain and defeat any attack. Lest you forget, you have nearly a dozen of them with you to handle security.'

Dr Raja Rao sighed and said, ' Okay Alpha. Bye for now.'

Leaning forward he typed in a password that gave him access to all the cameras down in level four and watched with fascination, awe and utter disbelief at the dozen giants who stood guard all over level four.

' God help those fools who will dare venture down and take on these giant monsters of men.'

He watched each specimen that stood nearly 8 feet tall in height and weighed nearly 400 pounds or more and all of them carried a sword that was nearly six feet in length and that could behead an elephant with one single blow.

' Forget fighting just one of those giants in single combat. Only God can even dare to take on a dozen of them.'

He recollected the containers that they had been brought in a month ago and then started thinking and wondered aloud, ' If Alpha sent these containers so early, then he surely must have known that a patient would be coming here and that someone would come for the very same patient.'

Staring at the large screen, ' What is going on? Does this mean that Alpha already knew the hijacking and the eventual plan to disperse the Biological agent would be somehow be thwarted? How?'

Shaking his head in wonder, ' who on this planet would dare to step into this place and who in their right minds would have the balls to do that?'

Little did he know that there was one already inside and that he was not from this planet.

His name was Azhagan and he was here to rescue his brother Raman.

The Boy who went into the dark and came back as light

Vaanathai Pola 440

Azhagan did his best to walk like Dr Sathya whose form he had metamorphized into and stepping up to the security pad, entered the six-digit number that he had gotten from reading her memories. The finger-print scanner too was passed easily and all that remained now was the retina scanner, and Azhagan although a bit worried knew that he would pass that too and which he did. The armed security guards were well known to her and yet today they were trying their best to avoid her eyes and instead stared straight ahead. Azhagan realized that their security had been tightened up with the arrival of Raman and knew that things were not going to be simple and straightforward as he hoped they would be.

But, something kept tingling in his head, a primitive instinct that had lain dormant for a very long time and it kept coming and going and warning him that something bad was afoot and around the corner.

Yet, all Azhagan could think of was time. Time for Raman, for his body, had to complete the process that had been started when he had plunged the syringe into his arm and with that act had made him the newest member of their family.

Fear. Azhagan had never experienced fear the way an average human felt and had never felt fear for his own well-being and safety. He had felt something like fear and worry when it came to others. Centuries had passed and yet he remembered that night when his mother had been murdered for it was permanently etched like a scar in his soul.

' Fear. Maybe what I felt as I ran up the mountain to protect my mother was in fact fear ' Azhagan thought to himself and exhaling his pent up sigh, walked unerringly towards her department block borrowing from Dr Sathya's memories.

' If nothing works outs, I will break his head with a single twist and that might end this problem once and for all ' Azhagan thought as he walked towards the office from where Dr Sathya worked from and knew that his thought was a whim and a fancy and that in life, problems were not sorted out so easily. Consequences! There were always consequences for every action and word and he was one who was well versed with those consequences.

At this exact moment that Azhagan was moving towards the department block that housed their offices, Dr Raja Rao's intercom had rung and it was a call from one of the doctors in his new team calling.

' What is it? ' he had asked in a brusque voice and the doctor's reply had left him with more questions and cursing he had left his office to go down to level four to see for himself what the problem was.

' All the machines are going haywire and are short-circuiting ' his team member had said and he wondered if somehow the electrical supply was faulty and was the cause of the erratic functioning of the machines.

' That can't be for we have our own generators and two backups that should last a minimum of three days and on top of that, we have our solar energy backup too from which we can draw power from' Dr Raja Rao thought to himself as he reached level four.

This was a first in the history of the centre for being a premier Central Govt Research Centre, power was the least of the problem. ' I wonder if all the machines hooked up to the patient are faulty or if someone has hacked into our computers and are trying to sabotage our operation ' Dr Raja Rao wondered and exiting the elevator walked into the room that the patient called Raman was being kept in.

Level four contained one large room that itself could contain half a dozen patients requiring critical care treatment. But as was the accepted practice in many deadly pandemic outbreaks, patients were brought into level four of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology when all other treatment had failed and the dying waited for a quick and merciful death. Research on a dead body is vastly different than doing the same on a living specimen for only when the patient is alive, doctors can study how their bodies react to new medicines are sometimes plain old placebos.

The large Room had the words " Critical care unit " conspicuously emblazoned on the top of the single door that was a one way in and the only way out. Three of its four sides were made of glass that allowed clear visibility of the patient from outside to those treating him and to those guarding him. The fourth and the rear portion was a wall and earth. 200 metres down from the surface and virtually impenetrable by anyone or anything.

12 giants stood guarding the room that housed Raman, the lone patient.

Seeing the elevator doors open and catching sight of Dr Raja Rao, the five-member of his new team glanced at each other nervously and waited for him to reach them.

He looked at them with eyes full of irritation and confusion and walked into the room the patient Raman was in. It was dead silent. No hum or beeps from the various machine that one finds in an ICU or in this case, Critical Care Unit.

All the machines lay silent and some of them seemed to be upset about something and were sending out signals of their anger through tender wisps of smoke that filled the air.

Tired, confused he sullenly asked Dr Raheja, ' Explain.'

' Dr Rao, everything was going as planned and the patient was plugged into all the machines. The EEG machine (electroencephalography) started beeping and we checked the patient's brain waves and found abnormal activity in the Beta waves and then the machines fell silent.'

' What about his Beta waves?' Dr Raja Rao asked Dr Raheja who looked uneasily at the other doctors and one very distinguished-looking doctor in her early 50s whose name was Dr Indumati smiling cryptically replied, ' Dr Rao, forget the beta waves that are in a different range and instead ask us about the patient's Theta waves.'

' What. what, Theta waves? What are you blabbering Indumati? ' and pointing to Raman through the Glass pane, ' that specimen is nearly dead or on the verge of it. There is nothing in this world that can save him from his destiny. Not even me and certainly not one from your team for the man is way past medical treatment.'

Turning to Dr Indumati, ' His brain must be like mushy pudding and a real mess from internal haemorrhaging due to both his Ebola and Bubonic plague condition. How then can a dead brain produce Theta waves?'

Dr Raheja smiled, ' Dr Rao, I am sorry to correct you but after just a few prelim tests that we conducted on the patient, we realized that he is not suffering from anything and in fact is normal and better than normal.'

Dr Raja Rao's lizard brain, his primitive brain alerted him to the fact that something was wrong. Very wrong. He ran as fast as his ageing body would allow him and quickly examined Raman whose skin looked normal and cool to the touch. Opening his eye, he checked for pupil activity and found it totally dilated. But what caught his attention was the orange coloured sclera and he nodded to all the other doctors to join him and once they were all around him said, ' Pupils are dilated which means coma and which means certain death.'

Pointing to the whites of Raman's eyes, ' strange orange coloured sclera ' and turned and looked pointedly at Dr Indumati and using a rebuking tone, ' and you were talking about Theta waves.'

Dr Indumati pointed to the paper hanging from the printer, ' Not just talking, Dr Rao, but talking and backing that talk with conclusive proof ' and pointing to the other doctors, ' eye-witnesses too.'

Dr Raheja shaking his head in disbelief, ' If the patient's brain is mush and dead, how then is his brain producing all these Theta waves and not just from the hippocampus region but from all over his brain. If that is not weird and wonderful enough for you, you should have seen his MRI Scan image.'

Dr Raja Rao's eyes opened wide in shock, ' what about his MRI scan?'

' His brain seems to be restructuring itself and if that is not enough, it seems to have somehow increased its connections.'

' by how much, Raheja? ' Dr Raja Rao asked and the answer was the clue.

' Sorry sir but the machines just conked out before we could learn more.'

Taking a deep breath, Dr Raja Rao excused himself for he knew that the situation was a bit beyond his control and that he needed Alpha's guidance to deal with the situation.

He tried his encrypted mobile but being in Level four found no signal and which led to his first error.

Going to a nearby computer, he used it to call Alpha assuming that it was safe but Azhagan's connections were even stronger and safer and the moment Dr Rao connected to Alpha, his people, his aliens up in deep space hacked into their secured line and heard every word. Loud and clear.

Vaanathai Pola 441

China is 2 hours and 30 minutes ahead of India. The time was 8.35 AM when Alpha, the head of the secret group " Sons Of Gaia " received the call from Dr Raja Rao. Even at the ripe old age of ninety years, Alpha's eyes remained sharp as ever although not as great as they had been when he had been a child and he stared at his phone and wondered, ' Why is Beta calling from a computer? Surely, he is aware of the security risks involved and the consequences. So, he must have a good reason for taking this blatant risk and placing both our lives in danger.'

' Beta, I am more worried about the reason for your call than for your call itself.'

' Alpha, there is and it concerns the patient Raman from Chennai.'

' I am listening but make it quick before our words are picked up by one of the satellites over my land.'

' Alpha, Raman who had the classic symptoms of Ebola and Plague on his body is now exhibiting none of those. Rather, his body seems to be healing and if that is not a miracle, something really weird is happening to his brain.'

Alpha exhaling his worries and confusions, ' So, the hits keep coming. One after another. Okay, Rao, what is going on with the patient's brain?'

Dr Raja Rao paused and thought about what he was going to say and how he was going to say them. ' There is no other way other than telling you what has happened, Alpha. This man who was on the verge of death somehow seems to have recovered and if that was not strange enough, his brain seems to be restructuring itself.'

' Ah! There is that important reason why you have called me from an unsafe line and I have to admit that it is a good reason.'

Dr Raja Rao tapped a few buttons on the keyboard and said, ' You don't believe me then see and read the data for yourself for they don't lie.'

The printer behind him whirred and even without turning to see what made the noise, he said, ' The data is here and I will look into it but judging from the panic I hear in your voice I am sure that you have more left to say about this patient.'

' Yes, Alpha. I do and it is about the patient's brain.'

Not getting any response from Alpha, Beta aka Dr Raja Rao continued but now the panic had changed and real fear mixed with wonder took over the tone of his voice and he addressed his superior and friend by his name.

' Wei, it is just not possible for a human brain to restructure itself and yet it is happening. If that is not all, his brain is increasing its folds which means his brain cells are increasing at a rapid rate that which cannot be measured?'

Alpha's real name was " Wei " which meant big and great in Chinese. But as is the practice in China where a person is always addressed by his surname and his surname being " Wang " the most common surname in the country, he was known as Dr Wang Wei.

But, very few ever called him that. Even the premier, Xi Jinping, the head of China addressed him as " da, ye " which is the common practice when you meet people who are as old or older than your grandparents.

But, he and Raja Rao were friends and their friendship spanned more than four decades. So, he did not bother too much about being addressed by the name that his parents had bestowed on him.

' Why not, Rao? You have all the latest gadgets and machines right there with you in Level four.'

' Wei, they have all conked out, my friend. They have all somehow mysteriously shorted themselves out. What do I do now, Alpha?'

' Beta, all you and I can do now, is to watch and wait for like you, I myself am in the dark of certain things, my old friend.'

Dr Raja Rao nearly lost it and his voice nearly raised itself but calming himself and controlling his panic, he asked, ' Alpha, I am sorry but that is unacceptable. If you the head and the Alpha of the Sons Of Gaia say this then what am I going to do?'

' Beta, my friend, I am sorry but I too take orders from someone else. Someone, far wiser and powerful than me and only he knows the entire truth.'

His heart and mind had been the strongest allies in his life. But for the very first time, both seemed to be abandoning him and he felt a strange pain in his chest and clutching it, he gasped out his question, ' You are Alpha, Wei.'

' True Beta. But your Alpha has someone to whom he reports and to someone who sees everything.'

' who? who is that? who is this who is, wiser, and more powerful than you, my friend?'

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkD4P0605_c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u8PVjOOGIA

Avan, Aval, Adhu 134

“I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought, there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. well, I hope that if you are out there you read this and know that yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.”

Even in his loneliness, he did not feel lonely. Even in solitude, he felt Madhu's presence all around him, knowing very well that she was only present in his mind. In the beginning, he had not taken a conscious decision to stay single and stay a bachelor for the rest of his life. After that dark and murderous night, he had spent a good few months away from everyone and the outside world and had buried himself in books and more books.

The exile and voluntary house arrest he had forced on himself had on many occasions been broken by the arrival of the police who were investigating the case of the missing Pazhani, the eldest son of Dharmalinga Thevar and the elder brother of Meenakshi.

He had said the same thing to them as he had said to everyone else including his parents and his closest friends Partha and the others. ' I swear I have no idea as to what happened to him.'

The only persons who knew the truth were him and her and the creatures of that night. That fateful night that Pazhani had disappeared and rightfully so.

Ravi shook his head and looked at Sirius, their star and said, ' Funny that the night is for you and me and our star and also a memory of that night that separated us both.'

Whispering good night to Madhu, Ravi slowly walked back to the cottage that served as the front office, reception area of Whispering Rocks.

A good ten minutes had passed since Gayatri had left to send away Dharmalinga Thevar's Driver Subbu and she herself has spent a good few minutes thanking him for driving her up to Kodai and yet he did not leave and stood hesitatingly.

Then catching sight of his eyes that were straining to see something through the window and in the darkness beyond, she knew that Subbu was waiting for Ravi's arrival.

' What boss, looks like you too are a big fan of Master sir?'

' Yes ma'am. Not only fan ma'am but follower and devotee for he is like a hero and a God to many of us.'

Gayatri's eyes went up to stare not at the ceiling but up where God and heaven are meant to be as she was taught and as we are all taught. For God means, a higher power that dictates from a higher position. It would be Blasphemy to think of God down below on the ground that our feet tread and hence, hell below and the domain of evil and satan the lord of evil.

Driver Subbu in a soft and respectful tone whispered, ' Amma ' and getting her attention asked Gayatri why her eyes had gone up to the ceiling.

' I guess because of God. All of us do that. Don't we Subbu?'

Subbu nodding tentatively replied, ' Maybe ' and looked at her warily. Gayatri with a friendly smile said, ' Subbu, boss, why are you hesitating to speak to me? After all that we have spoken and shared, you are still hesitating to speak to me frankly and openly. It is insulting and hurting, Subbu.'

Hurriedly apologizing to her, Subbu, ' Ma'am, amma, what is God to you? ' and then looking at Partha and Daksha, ' iyaa, amma, neengalum. Please answer my question. What does God mean to you all and to me too?'

Her eyes gazing at Subbu, Gayatri used her left hand to brush away the strands of hair that had fallen on her face and slowly glanced at Partha and Daksha who were as puzzled as her by the question that had been put to them.

Driver Subbu with a smile, ' God for all of us means a power that heals, that protects. It is something, a place, a source that we run to in our misery and cry our hearts out and beseech its help. It is also the power that we thank, for all the good that happens to us. But.......' pausing, he looked at all three of them.

Gayatri went, ' But, But what? Subbu, please finish saying your mind.'

' But, has God ever spoken to you, presented itself to you. Has God ever served you food, paid your fees, educated you, got you a good job placement with recommendations from himself? Has God ever been there to throw its arms around you and comfort you and whisper to you that it is going to be okay?'

They were simple words. Simple but beautiful expressions of a simple man but profound in its depth and intellect and all of them knew what he was talking about and who he was alluding to and Gayatri smiling with tears in her eyes said, ' True. Very true, Subbu.'

Partha joined in and said, ' Gayatri, I don't believe much in God and stuff like that but Ravi is a hero and my hero and who I will gladly follow with total faith and devotion even if it means through fire.'

Gayatri's eyes opened wider as if she was trying to take in the enormity of the words and the expanse of their meaning.

Partha lifted his trousers and Gayatri looked down and saw his metal legs ankles and looked up into his eyes with empathy and sadness and heard him say.

' I don't know about God but I know a hero, a superhero when I see one and I know it very well because I was carried by one in his arms for nearly a km with both my legs crushed and my life bleeding out.'

Sighing with the memory of what he had just said, he was about to continue when Driver Subbu interrupted him and completed what he had started.

' Amma, God cannot always be around and cannot come to our rescue when we need it and at the time we need it most. That is why it has created people like Ravi and people my boss Dharmalinga Iyaa.'

Stepping closer, he looked at her with the kind eyes of a father, ' That is why God has created you and others in your mould, ma'am.'

' Me. What do you mean by saying that, Subbu?'

' Exactly what I mean and think of you, ma'am for it was not God who jumped into the lake and saved two children and who nearly died in the process. It was you ma'am. So ' pointing up to the ceiling, ' God is not up there but here. All around us and in forms such as you and Master iyaa and people like you.'

The crunch of heavy leather-soled shoes on the gravel alerted his arrival and Subbu's eyes eagerly turned towards the entrance to greet his hero.

Ravi Kumar entered, and leaving the guitar to rest on the wall, turned and catching sight of Subbu smiled happily, ' Subbu anna, Eppadi irukeenga?'

He had entered not just the cottage but he had now entered every cell of her body for that is how Gayatri felt and she even thought that her heartbeat sounded like it was beating his name. ' Ravi, Ravi.'

Vaanathai Pola means not just the sky but it means the endless and eternal universe. Vaanathai Pola means not just the universe but the universe in your soul and your soul that is part of the universe.

We all are one and the same. We are all part of the same creation. Different in colour, shape and species, yes. But, the same and one in the life that is in all of us and that life is called the Universe and there is no limit for life and there is no limit for love.

Two people can fall in love and feel and experience love but one person can fall in love and feel all that. One person with a broken heart or a heart that is full of love for the other. All love needs is a heart. A thought. A home, a soul to grow and put its roots down deep in the soil of love in the soul.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P-sXdSzyik

Avan, Aval, Adhu 135

“Tears shed for another person are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of a pure heart.”

I cannot be you. You cannot be me. But, there is always, someone, who is better than you and me. We can be like that person and follow and imbibe that person's qualities.

Just as Gayatri thought that she knew all about Ravi and had come to the conclusion that he was a great soul, the very person about whom they were talking about entered.

Ravi Kumar's face filled with happiness, an expression that most of us have when meeting an old friend and he walked quickly to greet Subbu.

' Anna, how are you? Is everyone in your family doing well?'

It was not what he said or did not say to Ravi, for his body did all that. Driver Subbu shrank visibly in stature as if he had suddenly decided that he was too tall for his own liking and rather preferred to lose a few inches or a foot of height even before Ravi.

He folded his hands in the typical Indian way that is called Namskaram, namaste and bowing his head said, ' Vanakkam Iyaa. Vanakkam Master sir ' and then hurriedly folded his hands across his chest and stood like a devotee standing reverently before God in a temple.

' What is it about this man that evokes such reverence, love and respect in others?' Gayatri thought to herself and then her questions were answered by Ravi's actions himself.

With a gentle smile, he gently took Subbu's arms and placing them by his side, said, ' Subbu anna, you are older than me. My elder, not only in age but, in, experience too. Please, don't call me Iyaa and for god's sake please don't fold your hands while talking to me.'

Looking into Subbu's eyes, ' It is okay if you do that to your boss, your employer, Mr Dharmalinga Thevar but not to me, please.'

' Master Iyaa, I do that to my boss because he is a good man and also because he is our benefactor and has been for many decades. But, you, Iyaa are much more than that. For it is you who educated my children, right from the first std and until they completed all their college studies and then sent them abroad where they are now in Big companies and making a lot of money.'

Ravi waved his hand as if he was a magician conjuring a spell that would make Subbu's words vanish from their presence and said, ' I only guided them and showed them the way and was there to help what was already there. Both of them were

hard-working children and they deserve all that life is blessing them with.'

Subbu's eyes filled with tears and wiping them, he reached for his pant pocket and brought out a phone and then just like that quickly put it back again.

Ravi finding it a wee bit strange and a whole lot funny remarked, ' New phona, Subbu anna?'

Subbu smiling sheepishly blushed like a shy child and nodding brought out his mobile and Ravi gasped in shock and went, wow! I-Phone and it looks like the best one that is on the market right now.'

Subbu smiled and Gayatri saw that a man in his late 50s or early 60s had transformed into a kid and the reason was, Him and she thought, ' I love him but it looks like everyone loves him in their own way and everyone sees him through their own soul.

' Master Iyaa, Kumaran sent it through a friend of his after his new promotion.'

Ravi clapping his hands with great enthusiasm asked, ' Super. Such heartwarming news. Good job, Kumaran.'

Driver Subbu's hands flew expertly on the I phone and quickly tapped open Whatsapp and gently pressing a video message, raised the mobile so Ravi could see properly and said, ' This, I phone and all the money in the world is nothing iyaa when compared to what you mean to all of us.'

The video was of some kind of casual and informal board meeting and then a Young man stood up and Ravi happily pointed and said, ' Namma Kumaran, my Kumaran' and turning to Gayatri, said, ' come closer and see my student, Gayatri.'

Gayatri coming closer saw the video clearly and she immediately exclaimed, ' That name behind Kumaran. Alphabet Inc ' and Driver Subbu excitedly said, ' Amma, Google, namma google owner company ma.'

Gayatri's jaw dropped open in awe as her finger pointed to the thin bearded man next to Kumaran, ' That is Sundar Pichai. The head and CEO of Google.'

The I phone's tiny but expensive speakers spoke Kumaran's words that he was delivering as an impromptu speech.

' Thank you, friends. But, the person who deserves all this thanks is far away from here in India and down south in my hometown.'

They all heard someone yelling loudly, ' You are a good man, Kumaran for not forgetting your parents and family ' and everyone joined in and cheered and clapped enthusiastically.

Kumaran waited patiently for all of them to calm down and then with a ghost of a smile and a ghost of a memory dancing on his face, continued, ' I am sorry to correct all of you. Please forgive me for misleading you for I was not alluding to my parents here but to my Master sir who is both my teacher and parent. It is to him all this credit should rightfully go for he is the one who deserves all this.'

Kumaran raised the flute of champagne high in the air and made a toast, ' To you Master sir. My Hero, my guide and my philosophy. A thousand or maybe even a million Kumaran's like will come and go but you are special and God makes only one of you and then throws away the mould. I love master sir and thank you.'

Gayatri felt something tickling her cheeks and felt it and saw that her hand came away wet and realized that she was crying and looked up and saw all of them were crying. Including Ravi.

Where do they well up from, dear God

from the springs of joy or sorrow

hark back to that first conscious ooze

from the time not when they flowed at whim

and from every knock on the head, hands, legs and knees

from adults hands, legs and knees

but that moment when you cried for another

when you cried when you knew not why you cry

that sacred moment when all was lost

and you were a boat lost at sea

and with a hole in the bottom with water bubbling through

they are diamonds, they sparkle like jewels

and they ooze up and spring forth even from

hardy, black and evil souls

from man and woman and both and more

But dear God what is that which remains

and cannot be cried out from the soul

that cannot be written out of history

that cannot be erased from the soul

that cannot be removed ever and until your final breath

what about memories, dear God

God's honest answer- How the F..k should I know, human when I am just a creation of you, the ultimate selfie and self portrait?

Muthaiahvin Muthukkal-1

If there is one soul who continues to fascinate me today and has fascinated and captivated me from the time I was able to grasp the meanings of his words through his songs, it is the human called Muthiah.

Of course, he is better known as Kannadasan or Kaviarasu Kannadasan. He was born in the year 1927 and died in the year 1981. 41 years since he passed away and yet he lives on in spirit through his words.

I did not know him then but I heard his soul singing through the radio even back when I was about four or five and was living in Bangalore or Bengaluru as it is called today. Summer nights drove most of us to sleep in the courtyard and under the protection of the night sky and her star children. Nearly a dozen small birdcage houses and all of their occupants escaped their day cages to sleep and breathe freely in the outside world and in darkness.

It was before the arrival of Television and was the time of the Radio which was then known as Transistor Radio or simply Transistor. I didn't know then why it was called that and only later learnt that the reason for that was because it used transistor-based circuitry rather than the bulky vacuum-based tubes as had been the norm earlier.

Even though it would be another year before I would journey to the land of Tamils and to the city in which Kannadasan dwelled, I heard him and his language through the Transistor.I don't know if my memory serves me right but it was mostly Sivaji and Mgr songs and that too was limited to that duration of the broadcast.

My late dad was more inclined towards Kishore, Rafi and Hindi and was a huge fan of Rajesh Khanna. Even though Tamil through the transistor sounded a bit difficult to understand and remember, our Dodda Mavalli area was a gully filled with a variety of people from all walks of life.

I think I was about nine or ten years old when I first laid my hands on a Tamil book. Okay, calling 3 pages of film song lyrics a book is rather demeaning to books and so booklet it is.

My classmate was boring his eyes into it and I joined him and began to mumble the words.

' Ponaal pogattum poda' and Durai turning to me with a surprised look, ' Otha, dei, paadre. Eppadi da unakku indha old songsellam theriyum.'

Well, that moment was the opening of the floodgates or the opening of pandora's box, gob, hell and both of us began a musical and lyrical friendship that lasted a year and then he dropped out in the 6th and went to work for daily wages.

Decades of the last century and of this new 21st century have passed by. It is nearly 41 years since Kannadasan left his physical form and yet his Tamil spirit and songs live on in all of us and in my soul.

Not a single day goes by without him teaching me, coaching me about life, love and loss and like the " Thirukural " the work of the other teacher called " Thiruvalluvar " who was Kannadasan's teacher himself.

I will share with you an example that will better explain to you why I sometimes feel that Kannadasan is haunting me.

This was the early days of the serial " Baakiyalakhmi " in 2020 and sometime after the lockdown had been lifted in July of that year. The two kids playing my sons giggled and the youngest one Vishaal said, ' Daddy, you have not sung your favourite song for a few days now.'

Forget the fact that I had no clue as to what he was saying, I was more taken aback, by his choice of words " you have not sung " for me singing means, death and destruction. Serious, my voice, my singing voice is so bad and so grating on the nerves and ears that once I happened to see a Lizard drop its tail in fear and run for life.

Like everyone else, I too sing when I am bathing,( read howling, bellowing annoyingly) and I have many a time seen large cockroaches marching in files and in a hurry towards the door or climbing the tiles to reach the windows.

It did not make much sense to me and only when spiders began to shrivel and die in their webs, did I finally realize that my singing was so bad that Cockroaches were migrating to another area.

With all that wisdom and awareness of my own persona and its limitations, I tentatively locked eyes with Vishaal and mumbled ' sorry da, I did not realize I was singing aloud.'

Well, to begin the climax of this thought, Vshaal declared, ' the words mean so much and sound so beautiful, daddy.'

Before you go, you might want to know what the song was that I had been murdering. It is from the film Paarthaal pasi theerum

Pillaikku thandhai oruvan

Namm ellorukkum thandhai iraivan

Nee oruvanai nambi vandhaaiyo

Illai iraivanai nambi vandhaaiyo

It means a child has one father but God is the real father and mother for all of us. Did you come believing in one or believing in God?

It is nearly 5.00 am and time has run out. Off to the gym and will write more about my favourite poet, writer, thinker and philosopher.

Good morning. I wish all of you a great day and a great life. We see a film that may be 2 or 3 hours long and we come away remembering only the highlights, climax scenes or some great acting and action scenes but soon forget the rest of it.

I think that our lives too are like films. Long but only with a few memorable highlights. I am sorry if my words are offensive or hurting in any way.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayXXXujt3Fo