From & To Sathish #6 - Page 31

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Avan, Aval Adhu 509

Sometimes we need a break from everything and spend some time on our own, in a place we love, to figure things out. Sometimes we need a break even from ourselves. A break from our cliched and mundane life swamped in repetitive thoughts that make us feel like we are wallowing in a sty when our thoughts should be soaring above in the sky.

Sometimes we need to step out of our own lives and make small corrections, and adjustments in ourselves and importantly in the way we see and understand everything that we think of as family and friends. Sometimes we need to let go of control over life, and thoughts and just go with the flow and let our mind ask, seek that which hides and is hidden from our senses.

Major Param Singh and his commandos were pacing like nervous kittens and the moment they caught sight of Madhu and Meenakshi's parents, a huge collective sigh of relief went through all their hearts. Unlike some sections of the armed forces where the team or mission leader takes the entire blame when things go wrong, the members of Chakravuyh were trained to look at failure in a collective way. One for all and all for one and that was one of the reasons why they had yet to fail any of their missions and the other reason was their new boss, Raman. ( More of him later).

Major Param's mission directive was to protect Madhu and everything else came later. Seeing her walk towards him seemingly safe and unharmed, he whispered a thanks to Guru Nanakji and ran to meet her.

' Ma'am, Is everything okay?' Param enquired tentatively and in a mild tone and Madhu nodded her head, ' Yes, Major. Thank you.'

She stopped and Dharmalingam and Thamarai automatically stopped and when she looked at Major Param, they too turned their attention towards him.

' Major saab, I will be leaving for Madurai airport shortly. Once, I board the flight, I will no longer be requiring your protection and assistance.'

Param Singh's face was full of astonishment and confusion as he asked her, ' But, ma'am, it is too late to go to the airport for I am sure the last flight has already taken to the air.

' I am sure it has and I am well aware that it is late ' Madhurima answered him tiredly and then added, ' But, being the head of a rich and powerful company has its privileges and one of those is owning a private jet.'

Major Param Singh's face resembled some one who had swallowed a huge fly and it was so funny that not only Madhu smiled, his men too laughed out aloud and their laughter followed her as she entered the house.

Parthiban and Daksha who had come running out to see what was going on followed her and Meenakshi's parents back into the house and stood staring at them with eyes full of questions.

Madhu's eyes searched for him and instinctively went towards his room and when she looked at Parthiban, he nodded and confirmed that Ravi was indeed in his room.

Then just as Madhu tried to move to go to the room, Parthiban quickly grabbed her hand and said, ' Madhu, both of you are under a lot of stress right now. So, please, step back and reconsider your decision about leaving him and us.

Daksha stepped forward and spoke to her in a very subdued manner. ' Madhu, I have known you only briefly but I feel I have known all my life. Please, stay and lets all of us sit down and work things out.'

Pointing to Ravi's room, ' He, Master himself has said that any problem, no matter how difficult, it can be solved with patience and exchange of thoughts between the people concerned.'

Rasaathi Ammal's eyes were swimming in tears and Madhu finding it unbearable, gently wiped them away and hugging her fiercely, told everybody, ' I am leaving, not on my own accord, but because he wants some time on his own and I think that it probably the best for him and all of us.

Stepping away a few feet, she looked at all of them, ' What I and Ravi cannot be broken and will never be broken. It could not be broken by Meenakshi when she was alive and it could not be broken all these years. You think that will happen now because of her death. I don't think so.'

Taking a deep breath, she sighed tiredly, ' Sometimes, we all need a break from our daily lives. A break in which to see life in a different way and in a newer perspective.'

A beautiful smile appeared on her beautiful full mouth and with a twinkle in her big brown eyes, she said, ' I think, long sight is better than short sight. The reason being that being too close to an object or situation can sometimes blindside you and also blur our vision'.

Saying that, Madhurima walked towards Ravi's bedroom and after knocking on it a couple of time entered when she and everyone heard his voice say, ' Come in'.

Avan, Aval Adhu 510

Madhurima entered the room and saw Ravi standing with his back to her and looking out of the window at the dimly lit garden. Without even bothering to turn and see who had entered the room, he stood staring at the darkness outside his window and in a pleading voice said, ' Partha, please, leave me alone. I am not hungry. I will eat when I feel like it. Please, respect my privacy and my request or else, I will be forced to leave here and go and stay somewhere else '

Staring at his broad back, Madhu stood in silence thinking, ' I am jaanu. I am going to leave you alone. But I could not leave without seeing you and saying goodbye. Hopefully for now.

Then Ravi growled frustratedly, ' Please, guys. I am begging you to leave me alone. Leave before I....... ' he turned and froze into instant silence, ' Madhu, it's you. I am sorry, both Partha and Daksha kept knocking on the door and intruding . So........................' he paused and then lost for words and unable to face her, he returned to staring out of the window and turned his back on her.

Madhu sighed for she felt that he had turned his soul away from her by turning his back on her and with nothing left to say or do, she told him that she was leaving.

' I am flying out, Ravi'.

' Okay. I wish you a safe flight.'

Then with his back still turned to her, in a softer voice, he said, ' I am sorry but I am not myself right now. All my life, I have tried to be strong for everyone else but I find myself weak and helpless to help myself. All my life I have tried my best to help people with their problems by giving them the right advice but now when I need it the most, I find I have none for myself.'

She went to him and threw her arms around him and leaning her head against his back, whispered, ' I know Jaanu. I understand you and all that you are feeling right now. But.. this is something that you have to come to terms with and deal with. Nothing I say or do will matter for it is all up to you.'

' I know, Madhu. I just need some time....'

Removing her arms, she stood staring at her man, her lover, her husband and said, ' Take all the time that you need. I will be waiting for you or for your call asking me to come to you. Until then, I will wait for you like you have waited for me.'

' Bye, Jaanu ' she said and slowly walked out of his room, his life and then a few minutes later walked out of his house.

He stood there like a statue, frozen in grief and unbearable pain and stood not knowing how much time had flown away just as his heart had flown away from him.

The darkness of the night that he had been staring at through his window waved goodbye as its reign over the land was broken up by the first light of a new day and a new dawn.

Taking a deep breath, Ravi decided that he would go see him, the one person who he knew would know how to deal with his head and his heart.

Coming out of the room, he looked at his mother, his friends, uncle and aunt who all lay fast asleep in chairs, couches and sofas and slowly walked out of the house and towards the forest of Perumalvaram.

He waited for him. The boy who knew what darkness and death was capable of, waited for him. He waited knowing well what light and darkness meant and that life was a mix of both. Some were lucky when they got a little of darkness and a lot of light while many an unlucky soul caught a whole truckload of pain and problems and darkness that came with them.

https://youtu.be/6mr4cYJ7yew?si=kW4cm7NxUG-28_Ic

Avan, Aval Adhu 511

“Why is love intensified by absence?” Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler's Wife

He stepped out of the house and onto the road and then stepped into the forest. His feet were bare and sans footwear for he had not bothered about it. His mind had whispered a command and his feet marched to it and now they carried him through the morning mist that was new and also a kin of the deadly night fog that had claimed lives and had changed lives.

The grass and shrubs lay heavy and drooping with the tears of the night fog that had borne witness to an end and a beginning and even the leaves shimmered with gold and orange as the new sun rose to a new tune and would survey new fates of billions and trillions of lives.

Ravi Kumar knew what he had to do and was going to do it. He knew what had gone wrong and knew what he had to do to set things right and he knew that there was no point in wasting time thinking about it.

Then he realized that in his hurry and angst, he had walked off the beaten path and had strayed into a section of the forest where he had never set foot before.

Ravi looked up at the sky and sighing sadly, decided that it was better to retrace his steps and start again from where he had strayed away and turned around and stopped.

His senses went wild and a split second later went on full alert and his instincts kicked into top gear. His sharp eyes quickly scanned the forest in a full circle and then slowly went back to a small plant that was moving and focused on it.

His eyes noted that the gentle breeze was flowing from east to west, unlike the plant that seemed to be swaying to a north-to-south tune.

' What moved there? Man or beast? ' Ravi thought for a second and then throwing caution to the wind, moved in the direction of the swaying plant and stopped again as he heard birds take to the air complaining loudly about being disturbed and knew for certain that someone was walking ahead of him.

His pain and raging soul gave wings to his heart and flight to his legs as he ran through the forest and ran deeper and deeper into the forest and then seeing a clearing ahead of him under which a huge neem tree stood in full bloom and full of life, Ravi stopped and stared and then saw the woman who was sitting there all by herself.

' Was she the one who was walking so fast and staying out of my reach? Must have been flying for even though I ran I could not catch her. I wonder what she is doing here all alone or is she just lost like me?'

Ravi slowly walked towards her and wondered why she did not turn around and then when she was just ten feet away from him, he called out to her, ' Excuse me, lady. Who are you and what are you doing here all alone? Are you lost? '

The woman turned around and smiled and said, ' I am waiting for you, Ravi'.

Ravi screamed in fear and stared at Meenakshi who slowly got to her feet and moved towards him.

Ravi's fear vanished and he tried to speak but no words came. He tried again but rather than words, tears came and they flowed and flowed and then he mumbled, ' Meena, I am sorry. I am sorry for destroying your life and your dreams and in the end becoming the very reason for your death.'

Unable to say more and overcome by grief, shock and fatigue, Ravi's legs crumpled and he fell to the ground and cried his heart out.

https://www.theanimalclub.net/celebrity/today-is-steve-irwin-day-son-robert-shares-old-clip-revealing-how-crocodile-hunter-star-wanted-to-be-remembered/

Why Indian students are making

a beeline for US colleges

By Shelly Anand, India Today, November 16, 2023

Behind the 35 per cent jump in Indian students in US colleges in 2022-23

are reasons like quality education, flexibility of courses

and global work opportunities

The United States has been attracting Indian students for higher studies for long, but the numbers seem to have risen exponentially in recent years. The Open Doors 2023 report, released on November 13, shows that India reached an all-time high of 268,923 students in 2022-23, enrolled at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the US. The study, which was conducted by the US State Department and the not-for-profit Institute of International Education, New York, estimates a 35 per cent jump in Indian students in US colleges in 2022-23 from the previous academic year.

There are several reasons why the US stands out as a top study destination for Indians. For starters, the US boasts of some of the topmost universities in the world. According to the QS World Rankings 2023, 27 American universities feature in the top 100.

Renowned for academic excellence, the universities in the US offer a diverse array of courses, allowing students to customise their education according to their interests. “The flexibility of the education system encourages students to explore various subjects before declaring a major. A melting pot of cultures, it fosters an inclusive environment that enriches students’ experiences and prepares them for a global career,” says Piyush Kumar, regional director, South Asia and Mauritius, IDP Education.

Research opportunities, strong ties with industry for internships, and extensive alumni networks further enhance practical skills and employability. A high quality of life and diverse cultural offerings, on the other hand, contribute to a holistic educational experience.

Explaining in depth the reasons why Indians are increasingly opting to study in the US, Poshak Agrawal, co-founder of Athena Education, says, “What sets the US apart are the diverse courses and programmes available. Institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Princeton and Stanford stand as beacons, attracting students with a promise of diverse educational avenues and a transformative academic experience.”

Unlike other countries, the US does not require students to commit to a single major when they apply and allows them to explore for their first two years before declaring at the end of their second year. Moreover, the US education system places a significant focus on practical application of theory—several courses involve lab work, projects and group activities, which prepare students for success in professional settings and the real world.

“The vibrant campus life, complete with diverse traditions, hundreds of different clubs and social service opportunities, offer Indian students the kind of community experience they will not find anywhere else,” says Agrawal. In fact, studying at a university in the US pushes students to develop diverse soft skills, such as critical thinking, interdisciplinary analysis and even public speaking and leadership. And it gives them a competitive edge in job markets the world over.

Career opportunities are simply enhanced through practical training programmes such as OPT (optional practical training) and CPT (curricular practical training), facilitating work experience and employer connections. Ashwini Jain, founder, Foreign Admits, says: “Post-study work options under the OPT programme often leading to H-1B visa sponsorship is an equally important reason.”

When it comes to choice of programmes, the most popular undergraduate programmes for Indian students in the US are engineering and computer science, life sciences, business management and mathematics. “These fields offer diversified career options and technological advancements. For graduate studies, Indian students predominantly enroll in STEM fields with a focus on computer science, engineering, mathematics and physics,” says Jain. Business, finance and healthcare are also popular choices.

As US university degrees have high acceptance worldwide and provide great career opportunities, students can gain international exposure, while opting for internships can only improve their networking skills.

Avan, Aval Adhu 512

How can the dead be truly dead when they still live in the souls of those who are left behind? —CARSON MCCULLERS

Grief is that emotional state that just knocks you off your feet and comes over you like a wave. Grieving necessarily has a time component to it. Grieving is what happens as we adapt to the fact that our loved one is gone, that we're carrying the absence of them with us. The reason that this distinction makes sense is, grief is a natural response to loss — so we'll feel grief forever.

When we have the experience of being in a relationship, the sense of who we are is bound up with that other person. The word sibling, the word spouse implies two people. And so when the other person is gone, we suddenly have to learn a new set of rules to operate in the world. The "we" is as important as the "you" and "me," and the brain, interestingly, really does encode it that way. So when people say "I feel like I've lost part of myself," that is for a good reason. The brain also feels that way, as it were, and codes the "we" as much as the "you" and the "I."

The range of emotions that someone experiences when they're grieving is as long a list as the range of emotions we have in any relationship. Commonly there's panic, there's anxiety, there's sadness, there's yearning. But what we sometimes forget is that there's also difficulty concentrating and confusion about what happens next.

Ravi felt Meenakshi touch his face and it did not repulse him, and he stared at her and saw that death had given her a new aura, a new light and made her look even more beautiful than before. But her face seemed serene and peaceful and even Godly and then he felt her touch his mind and his soul and raising his hands, he held her face in them and whispered lovingly, ' Meena, how is this possible? Is this some kind of cruel joke that you are playing on me, once again? Please, don't. I am begging you, stop and if you wish it, kill me and take me with you. I am ready to come with you and I say it willingly and wholeheartedly. Take me with you.'

Meenakshi stood up although she did not do that like a normal human being would do and somehow seemed to float up like a magician doing a levitating trick on the stage although this was real and not some illusion.

She gave him his hands and when Ravi took them, she effortlessly lifted him to his feet and after staring at him for a few loving moments, pointed to the sun and said, ' I don't have much time. So, come with me.'

' Meena, you are dead. So, what is this time that you are talking about? Why do you have to worry about time like us mortals? ' and rubbing his eyes and smiling like a madman, ' All alone in the forest and talking to a Ghost. I have gone mad. I am lost and have lost all my marbles.'

Before he could say anything, she placed her lips on his and kissed him and breathed into him and awakened him.

Ravi's eyes went wide and realizing that he was not mad, not asleep and stuck in some dream or worse in a nightmare, he began to laugh and to cry at the same time and mumbled like a child, ' It is you, Meena. It is really, you. You have come back for us. So, you are not dead.'

Throwing a hurried and panicked look in the direction of the East, she yelled, ' Ravi, I don't have time. Please come with me right now before it is too late.

She dragged him and he ran with her and she quickly took him to where the large Neem tree stood surrounded by a small lake of flowers and pointed to the small mound that lay covered with the neem flowers and said, ' That is me ' and pointing to the roots of the neem tree, ' That is Sundaram'.

Ravi blinked his eyes in disbelief and whimpered, ' So, you are gone. You have left us'.

Placing her right hand on his chest, ' No, I am not gone. I am here and I will be there until we meet again'.

Then smiling like the goddess in Madurai, she raised her hands and said, ' This belongs to Madhu. She is the one who truly deserves it. Place it on her neck and thank her on my behalf. She has forgiven me. Now...' and stopping she looked in the direction of the East and said, ' Now you have to forgive me and let me go'.

Ravi yelled in fear, ' No, Meena. Don't go. Please don't leave me once again. My heart cannot take this pain any longer. I lost her and now I don't want to lose you too. Take me with you.

' No, Ravi. Your time is not now. There is still so much that you have to do and there so many who depend on you. But my time is over ' and pointing to the sun that was slowly and surely cresting over the distant horizon, ' Forgive me with all your heart and let me go in peace or else I will wander forever in limbo'.

Ravi grabbed her and taking her in his arms kissed her and whispered, ' I forgive you even though there is nothing to forgive. I always loved you and wanted the best for you.'

The sun exploded out of the Eastern horizon in a blaze of reds and oranges and the light instantly filled the land and filled the living and the dead with its light, warmth and eternal grace.

The light embraced Meenakshi and began to consume her and she looked at him and said, ' I am going home, Ravi. I am finally going home. It is beautiful. Take care and please take care of Madhu for she is an angel and a Goddess in disguise who has been sent to watch over you.'

Screaming like a mortally wounded beast, Ravi slowly opened his palms to see what Meenakshi had placed there, telling him to hand it over to Madhu and stared at the Sacred Kali Pendant that he had tied around her neck and married her.

' What is going on?' Ravi thought to himself and a deep voice answered, ' Why don't you ask her that yourself, Master?'

Ravi turned and stared at Azhagan who stood there bathed in the new sun's bright light and watched as the boy who went into the dark slowly approached him filled with light and as light himself.

https://youtu.be/amN1j-bQHbQ?si=_-svYtA1ghYH3_p8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilkJ5kT96Vo