“ passengers attention please…….train from Beach to Chengalpet will arrive at platform number 2 in a few moments….payanigalin kanivaana gavanatthirkku…….”
Even the railway announcement was stinging him…kabilan was furious about the lady who was announcing so loud……
….he stood totally away from the speakers…..he started thinking deep..he didn’t bother about anything around him….
“ayyya…….saaptu rendu naal aaachi ya”
“just shut up man..i have sent him the doc last night itself….hmm ..what ?.. no way..you see……..”
“hmmm…sollu ma….hey sollu ma….kovama..then? nana, standing in nungambakkam station… ? “
Whatever the passers-by were uttering he didn’t give a damn about it………
everything was not going well for him……his heart was heavy..infact heaviest….his future looked bleak to him… he has just finished scolding vinaayagar, big time, at the temple adjacent to the station…
just then something strange happened…everything looked clean around him, he heard a strong voice “friend ! ask me whatever you had wanted to..you can talk to me just through mind, need not open your mouth”
he tried to speak out, he couldn’t..just lips moved…. “I told you right ? just speak to me through mind…you will be able to “
“who…who are you ? “
“some people worship me, some like you scold me, some try to tell me and as well as others that I don’t exist, and very few thank me…people think that I have numerous shapes….in this part of the universe, people call me as ‘God’ “
“w..h..a..t ! oh my god..have I gone mad ? I could hear some voices…I’m not able to speak..am I alive? “
“you are very much alive my son ! listen …. You just seem to be completely worried..the whole night you were scolding me, and even just before..so I just want to speak to you directly….”
“ufffffffffff….. I couldn’t get what is happening ?? hello..u there ? are you God…. ?”
“I don’t call me so my son..you people only call me so…..”
“which god ? vinaayagar ? oh are you lord shiva whom I insulted when mother asked me to go to your temple? “
(laughing hard) “ha…ha…ha”
“oh no ! then you must be jesus..i was commenting you bad after reading Dan Brown’s novels…..have you come to punish me ? “ his agony and despair grew hard .
“all that you have told are mere names my friend…. Just words! which you people had coined to address me….”
“we people ? I never coined……..”
“I see all of you as one……..okay now tell me , what is wrong with you? “
“you tell yourself as God..so don’t you know my problems?? Were you deaf all these times? “
“ha ha ha……. I was hearing my son…but I didn’t find anything to be a problem…”
“what the hell ! do you think I have no problems at all..i find problems any where…. My parents are not well..they have diabetes and pressure..my father didn’t see considerable profit in business…me? Nothing going right for me…my US visa didn’t get through the lottery twice now…L1 visa seems a rarity …. My project manager sucks me daily…. He is not giving me good ratings as well…my family condition is not allowing me to quit or take risks as well.. my friends too are not true to me….all my trainee mates are now in US…. The guy whom I helped to pass in engineering is now in Australia…I have no sights of improvement in my work life…wherever I go I meet failures……I lost my 15000 rupees mobile yesterday….my personality ? I’m not fond of girls but I’m not as normal as my friends are….. I have one of the worst personalities around and even the girls whom I like see me as something next to shit……..whereever I go people see me as a thing to make fun of…even last weekend the guys literally made me to cry when I didn’t perform well in the match..my father always finds fault in me…. Even the autorickshaw man is scolding me for no reason on my way now…what do you think will motivate me to live in this world ?? “
“hmmm…so you feel you are the most wounded ! okay….now it will take around 75 minutes for you to reach SP kovil station….get down there, and talk to me…we can talk about this in detail...just call me, I will talk to you in the similar…. Till then I will give you something interesting to carry…..just focus your sight on any of your fellow passenger’s forehead-you will be able to know their inner thoughts….see you son……..”
“hmmm…o…k”
Kabilan sensed everything is normal now..just looked around….platform was almost empty …. A person with shabby clothes was looking at him..he asked him “yellarum yenga? “ (where are the others?)
“enna sir ? ippo dhaan train vandhu yellarum ponaanga…nee ninnu kitte kidandhey? “ (what sir ! just now all of them boarded the train, and you were just standing?? )
Kabilan realized…something said him and he just saw that person’s forehead
“aaalayum mogarayum paaru..night adiccha mappu innum irangaama penaatthinu keeraan” (idiot ! seems the overnight hang-over hasn’t gone from him, he is blabbering something)
Kabilan just moved away from that place immediately…..he was thinking about what he had just experienced minutes back…
Soon people started coming and much to his relief, the train came…….he got into it….
Even the railway announcement was stinging him…kabilan was furious about the lady who was announcing so loud……
….he stood totally away from the speakers…..he started thinking deep..he didn’t bother about anything around him….
“ayyya…….saaptu rendu naal aaachi ya”
“just shut up man..i have sent him the doc last night itself….hmm ..what ?.. no way..you see……..”
“hmmm…sollu ma….hey sollu ma….kovama..then? nana, standing in nungambakkam station… ? “
Whatever the passers-by were uttering he didn’t give a damn about it………
everything was not going well for him……his heart was heavy..infact heaviest….his future looked bleak to him… he has just finished scolding vinaayagar, big time, at the temple adjacent to the station…
just then something strange happened…everything looked clean around him, he heard a strong voice “friend ! ask me whatever you had wanted to..you can talk to me just through mind, need not open your mouth”
he tried to speak out, he couldn’t..just lips moved…. “I told you right ? just speak to me through mind…you will be able to “
“who…who are you ? “
“some people worship me, some like you scold me, some try to tell me and as well as others that I don’t exist, and very few thank me…people think that I have numerous shapes….in this part of the universe, people call me as ‘God’ “
“w..h..a..t ! oh my god..have I gone mad ? I could hear some voices…I’m not able to speak..am I alive? “
“you are very much alive my son ! listen …. You just seem to be completely worried..the whole night you were scolding me, and even just before..so I just want to speak to you directly….”
“ufffffffffff….. I couldn’t get what is happening ?? hello..u there ? are you God…. ?”
“I don’t call me so my son..you people only call me so…..”
“which god ? vinaayagar ? oh are you lord shiva whom I insulted when mother asked me to go to your temple? “
(laughing hard) “ha…ha…ha”
“oh no ! then you must be jesus..i was commenting you bad after reading Dan Brown’s novels…..have you come to punish me ? “ his agony and despair grew hard .
“all that you have told are mere names my friend…. Just words! which you people had coined to address me….”
“we people ? I never coined……..”
“I see all of you as one……..okay now tell me , what is wrong with you? “
“you tell yourself as God..so don’t you know my problems?? Were you deaf all these times? “
“ha ha ha……. I was hearing my son…but I didn’t find anything to be a problem…”
“what the hell ! do you think I have no problems at all..i find problems any where…. My parents are not well..they have diabetes and pressure..my father didn’t see considerable profit in business…me? Nothing going right for me…my US visa didn’t get through the lottery twice now…L1 visa seems a rarity …. My project manager sucks me daily…. He is not giving me good ratings as well…my family condition is not allowing me to quit or take risks as well.. my friends too are not true to me….all my trainee mates are now in US…. The guy whom I helped to pass in engineering is now in Australia…I have no sights of improvement in my work life…wherever I go I meet failures……I lost my 15000 rupees mobile yesterday….my personality ? I’m not fond of girls but I’m not as normal as my friends are….. I have one of the worst personalities around and even the girls whom I like see me as something next to shit……..whereever I go people see me as a thing to make fun of…even last weekend the guys literally made me to cry when I didn’t perform well in the match..my father always finds fault in me…. Even the autorickshaw man is scolding me for no reason on my way now…what do you think will motivate me to live in this world ?? “
“hmmm…so you feel you are the most wounded ! okay….now it will take around 75 minutes for you to reach SP kovil station….get down there, and talk to me…we can talk about this in detail...just call me, I will talk to you in the similar…. Till then I will give you something interesting to carry…..just focus your sight on any of your fellow passenger’s forehead-you will be able to know their inner thoughts….see you son……..”
“hmmm…o…k”
Kabilan sensed everything is normal now..just looked around….platform was almost empty …. A person with shabby clothes was looking at him..he asked him “yellarum yenga? “ (where are the others?)
“enna sir ? ippo dhaan train vandhu yellarum ponaanga…nee ninnu kitte kidandhey? “ (what sir ! just now all of them boarded the train, and you were just standing?? )
Kabilan realized…something said him and he just saw that person’s forehead
“aaalayum mogarayum paaru..night adiccha mappu innum irangaama penaatthinu keeraan” (idiot ! seems the overnight hang-over hasn’t gone from him, he is blabbering something)
Kabilan just moved away from that place immediately…..he was thinking about what he had just experienced minutes back…
Soon people started coming and much to his relief, the train came…….he got into it….
The train was packed…he somehow got some space to stand.... he wasted no time, and focused his sight on the forehead of a cute sobby girl standing infront of him in a half-saree..she looked beautiful to him..
“I should have started a little later….i don’t know how amma is gonna take care of paati alone…..did she has enough tablets for today?? I just cooked in a hurry, I don’t know how it tastes too…the food cooked will be sufficient only for breakfast…for lunch ? for dinner ?..…did I switch off the gas ?..the supervisor told that he would speak to the manager today on my salary advance……appa shouldn’t come today also drunken..god you just take care of appa, I will take care of others……amma is suffering because of him……malathy... “
Kabilan took his eyes from her and sighed “ poor girl…. Her story looks much worse than mine……. “
He could sense a bad smell of sweat beside..he saw a middle aged man clinging on to the bars with a look facing the roof of train….he was carrying a typical ‘manjal paiy’ of tamilnadu(a yellow coloured bag which is used common in this part of the world)… though kabilan scolded that man for his hygiene, but out of curiosity he moved on the opposite side to face him…
“bhagavaaney ! naarayana ! I can’t bear this..how am I going to tell my wife ? how am I going to tell my child kaavya ? her heart will not take this…this is not the first of times…this has been the story for the past seven years…grooms coming and seeing her had become routine..but this groom wasn’t like that, after convincing a lot I made her to agree....everything was falling in place..kaavya also developed a wish towards him… now how will I tell to her that he has rejected …my heart feels like exploding… Seshadri too told.. “
Kabilan just felt ashamed of what he thought about that man..he felt very sorry for him, he again looked at him“aaathula thedindru irupaaley…should I tell them that I pleaded the groom’s parents for hours together ? should I tell that out of frustration when I went to the beach late night, the police took me in remand, and just now they released me….oh no, that would be suicidal to tell…maragatham will break down….kaavya will never ever accept again for marriage ……kadavuley…….”
“this is still worse…hmm I again stress my point, gods must be crazy ! a kind looking sadist ! why the hell they make fun of people like him..where is he ? I will see him in SP kovil “ fumed kabilan…..
He saw a school girl standing in the corner…he could guess that she must be in her higher secondary
“ today I escaped from that rascal..will I be able to do it in the evening ? daily that rascal is giving me torture standing at the street’s entrance..if I complain to amma she will stop me from going school..poor amma, after appa passed away, she is toiling hard for me and my sister…..i have to get earn more and more for her…how can I face that rascal ?........”
“ufff….. I feel I’m just standing in a place where people are much worse than me…..” he just moved still in the crowd and started scanning..
“naan enna di thappu panninen?(what wrong I did ?) …why aren’t you talking to me ?...is it wrong to tell….feel like dying”
“idiots…can’t they increase the train frequency…this crowd sucks me “
“why this fellow is looking at me like this ? has he never seen a girl ?...s”
“interesting..all living things in the world are respected and ofcourse not insulted if they are bigger in size..except for the human race…..ha ha ha”
“if he didn’t accept today, he will not see tomorrow…he should not see.. let me inform sulthan before hand so that he can keep his men and tools ready …..”
“toiled inside globus and have bought this sleeveless tops… #$%% these guys are not even looking at me..then whats the use in wearing tight clothes, and exposing ones?….let me see in office”
“operation scheduled tomorrow….25000 more needed….what will I do ? “
“kangal irandaal, un kangal irandaal, ennai katti izhutthaai…….”
“will she get into this compartment…..o god..please…….”
“very hungry now…shall I open the tiffin box and eat..no no..it won’t be nice..too crowded…..yendha aathulayum yaarumey illayo..yellarum inga dhaan irukka?”(no one at their home ? everyone in the train ! )
“I don’t want to go home..i’m gonna run away from office to somehwhere….. she doesn’t like me..like me at all…. How many times I would have pleaded my amma not to get me married….now my whole life is big question mark………..”
“hayyo” Kabilan literally shouted much to get the strange looks of the crowd…. still moved away…had a deep sigh ”is the whole world like this ? full of problems? “...he saw a young lad with bright facestanding with some file in his hand, eyes closed…….. “ hmm how his cry gonna be ?”
“today HCL…tomorrow Iflex…..Saturday Scope…… I will definitely get into any of these…errrr.. I have to..i must….i have to make my father sit at home.at this age he can’t work like this...first I will ask amma to stop going to that maami’s house….no need to go as maid anymore…soon I have to bring groom for mary…hayyo, next month have to pay fees for Sebastian…..hmm ok ok…today there will be a GD round..i have to speak well in english..for the same reason I’m not getting through in any company for the past so many months..this time I will do…coming from a tamil medium school I have improved a lot..i will still improve…..”
Kabilan dropped his head down…..
Pallavaram : an old couple entered the train….they looked like people from the slums…the man hardly had teeth up front and the woman full of silver hairs.. and they right away without bothering any one sat on the floor near to the entrance….. kabilan’s face took a different shape but he wasn’t ready to do the same mistake which he did earlier with the bride’s father…. Both of them seem to be smiling at each other....he started with the old man
“ indha vayasulayum azhaga dhaan pulla irukka….. ye pulla unna mudhal mudhala kovil la vechu paarthathu innum nenju kuzhi kullaye kidakku ! yendha kashtatthilayum un sirippa mattum nee vidavey illaye pulla…kaattu layum mettulayum uzhaichittu vandhaa kooda un mugam podhum pulla, uzhagatthai ondiyuma jeyichiduven !“
(you are gorgeous even at this age dear…even now heart remembers that remarkable moment when I very first saw you at temple..in any kind of troubles you have never dropped your smiles..even after so much of hard work, just your face is enough to regain all my strength back and to conquer the world)
Kabilan was rather amused….. the old man’s happiness and his love for his wife even at this age, made him awestruck …he turned towards the old lady…
“…pongaama kidakku..indha manushanukku sirippa paaru……. Yembuttu pracchanayilum enna kalangavey vidalaye machan nee….. kanji yo koozho nee enakku oru naal kooda oottthama irundhadhey illaye…. sandhoshama saapitrukken… veeran ya nee..madurai veeran “
(look at his smile !….no matter whatever might be the problem, you have never let me down dear…you have never left me hungry.. I have eaten anything with pleasure…. You are my super man ! )
Something deep inside had started bothering kabilan……a cloud of shame has just creeped up….. he turned that side
“oh no…today certifications, I have to clear….all my friends are in onsite…..”
“chee ……. Our case……..” at a flash kabilan pulled his face
Mean while train had reached tambaram… some distortion at the entrance, and ironically many people tried to move away from the entrance to their best to give way to someone..kabilan peeped to see whats in store..
“I should have started a little later….i don’t know how amma is gonna take care of paati alone…..did she has enough tablets for today?? I just cooked in a hurry, I don’t know how it tastes too…the food cooked will be sufficient only for breakfast…for lunch ? for dinner ?..…did I switch off the gas ?..the supervisor told that he would speak to the manager today on my salary advance……appa shouldn’t come today also drunken..god you just take care of appa, I will take care of others……amma is suffering because of him……malathy... “
Kabilan took his eyes from her and sighed “ poor girl…. Her story looks much worse than mine……. “
He could sense a bad smell of sweat beside..he saw a middle aged man clinging on to the bars with a look facing the roof of train….he was carrying a typical ‘manjal paiy’ of tamilnadu(a yellow coloured bag which is used common in this part of the world)… though kabilan scolded that man for his hygiene, but out of curiosity he moved on the opposite side to face him…
“bhagavaaney ! naarayana ! I can’t bear this..how am I going to tell my wife ? how am I going to tell my child kaavya ? her heart will not take this…this is not the first of times…this has been the story for the past seven years…grooms coming and seeing her had become routine..but this groom wasn’t like that, after convincing a lot I made her to agree....everything was falling in place..kaavya also developed a wish towards him… now how will I tell to her that he has rejected …my heart feels like exploding… Seshadri too told.. “
Kabilan just felt ashamed of what he thought about that man..he felt very sorry for him, he again looked at him“aaathula thedindru irupaaley…should I tell them that I pleaded the groom’s parents for hours together ? should I tell that out of frustration when I went to the beach late night, the police took me in remand, and just now they released me….oh no, that would be suicidal to tell…maragatham will break down….kaavya will never ever accept again for marriage ……kadavuley…….”
“this is still worse…hmm I again stress my point, gods must be crazy ! a kind looking sadist ! why the hell they make fun of people like him..where is he ? I will see him in SP kovil “ fumed kabilan…..
He saw a school girl standing in the corner…he could guess that she must be in her higher secondary
“ today I escaped from that rascal..will I be able to do it in the evening ? daily that rascal is giving me torture standing at the street’s entrance..if I complain to amma she will stop me from going school..poor amma, after appa passed away, she is toiling hard for me and my sister…..i have to get earn more and more for her…how can I face that rascal ?........”
“ufff….. I feel I’m just standing in a place where people are much worse than me…..” he just moved still in the crowd and started scanning..
“naan enna di thappu panninen?(what wrong I did ?) …why aren’t you talking to me ?...is it wrong to tell….feel like dying”
“idiots…can’t they increase the train frequency…this crowd sucks me “
“why this fellow is looking at me like this ? has he never seen a girl ?...s”
“interesting..all living things in the world are respected and ofcourse not insulted if they are bigger in size..except for the human race…..ha ha ha”
“if he didn’t accept today, he will not see tomorrow…he should not see.. let me inform sulthan before hand so that he can keep his men and tools ready …..”
“toiled inside globus and have bought this sleeveless tops… #$%% these guys are not even looking at me..then whats the use in wearing tight clothes, and exposing ones?….let me see in office”
“operation scheduled tomorrow….25000 more needed….what will I do ? “
“kangal irandaal, un kangal irandaal, ennai katti izhutthaai…….”
“will she get into this compartment…..o god..please…….”
“very hungry now…shall I open the tiffin box and eat..no no..it won’t be nice..too crowded…..yendha aathulayum yaarumey illayo..yellarum inga dhaan irukka?”(no one at their home ? everyone in the train ! )
“I don’t want to go home..i’m gonna run away from office to somehwhere….. she doesn’t like me..like me at all…. How many times I would have pleaded my amma not to get me married….now my whole life is big question mark………..”
“hayyo” Kabilan literally shouted much to get the strange looks of the crowd…. still moved away…had a deep sigh ”is the whole world like this ? full of problems? “...he saw a young lad with bright facestanding with some file in his hand, eyes closed…….. “ hmm how his cry gonna be ?”
“today HCL…tomorrow Iflex…..Saturday Scope…… I will definitely get into any of these…errrr.. I have to..i must….i have to make my father sit at home.at this age he can’t work like this...first I will ask amma to stop going to that maami’s house….no need to go as maid anymore…soon I have to bring groom for mary…hayyo, next month have to pay fees for Sebastian…..hmm ok ok…today there will be a GD round..i have to speak well in english..for the same reason I’m not getting through in any company for the past so many months..this time I will do…coming from a tamil medium school I have improved a lot..i will still improve…..”
Kabilan dropped his head down…..
Pallavaram : an old couple entered the train….they looked like people from the slums…the man hardly had teeth up front and the woman full of silver hairs.. and they right away without bothering any one sat on the floor near to the entrance….. kabilan’s face took a different shape but he wasn’t ready to do the same mistake which he did earlier with the bride’s father…. Both of them seem to be smiling at each other....he started with the old man
“ indha vayasulayum azhaga dhaan pulla irukka….. ye pulla unna mudhal mudhala kovil la vechu paarthathu innum nenju kuzhi kullaye kidakku ! yendha kashtatthilayum un sirippa mattum nee vidavey illaye pulla…kaattu layum mettulayum uzhaichittu vandhaa kooda un mugam podhum pulla, uzhagatthai ondiyuma jeyichiduven !“
(you are gorgeous even at this age dear…even now heart remembers that remarkable moment when I very first saw you at temple..in any kind of troubles you have never dropped your smiles..even after so much of hard work, just your face is enough to regain all my strength back and to conquer the world)
Kabilan was rather amused….. the old man’s happiness and his love for his wife even at this age, made him awestruck …he turned towards the old lady…
“…pongaama kidakku..indha manushanukku sirippa paaru……. Yembuttu pracchanayilum enna kalangavey vidalaye machan nee….. kanji yo koozho nee enakku oru naal kooda oottthama irundhadhey illaye…. sandhoshama saapitrukken… veeran ya nee..madurai veeran “
(look at his smile !….no matter whatever might be the problem, you have never let me down dear…you have never left me hungry.. I have eaten anything with pleasure…. You are my super man ! )
Something deep inside had started bothering kabilan……a cloud of shame has just creeped up….. he turned that side
“oh no…today certifications, I have to clear….all my friends are in onsite…..”
“chee ……. Our case……..” at a flash kabilan pulled his face
Mean while train had reached tambaram… some distortion at the entrance, and ironically many people tried to move away from the entrance to their best to give way to someone..kabilan peeped to see whats in store..
A small girl, around 10 years of age entered with a ring which as big as a scooter’s wheel, even less than that..she was actually accompanying, in fact she was guiding her blind mother…that lady had a bag in her hand….poverty had written its signature on all places and it was eminent on the looks and the clothes of the girl…the girl made her mother sit , thanking the person who gave seat for her.. kabilan was cautiously watching these things..he murmured “why did this little girl took all pains to come in this crowd? She could have taken that lady in the ladies compartment……..”, just then kabilan started witnessing something he never expected..the girl started doing some’ impossibles’ with that ring in her hand…she penetrated through that small ring, stood upside down on her single hand..then in the same posture rotated the ring on her legs..and many more of these kind..…and the whole crowd were witnessing something they had never seen…..this went on for minutes..one could notice a few mouths open out of shock, and many faces turn the other side trying to stay away from giving money…
kabilan now knew that he is actually getting to know new things from each and every person…he went near that girl and tried to see her forehead…
“mom will be hungry..have to get her something to eat at chengalpet”
“ufff”..he wasted no time, much to the surprise of the others around called that girl near..”hey..take this 10 rupees”
“thanks uncle”
“don’t you feel pain in doing this ? you can do something else na… “
“no uncle…I learnt it from an uncle who came to our place..it has become now easy for me...even the people get entertained and I get money for our livelihood…..most importantly I don’t beg….i give some entertainment and they give me money….okay uncle I have to start again” kabilan felt a slap on his face
“hey wait wait…..you..errrr.. I mean sschoool… “
“ya uncle I go… I go to the corporation school..i study sixth standard…..mosa uncle gave me books and pen….on school days I do this after school hours..and weekends I do it all day…I study early morning…”
Nothing moved in kabilan….still managed to “today…school”
“today I’m taking my mother to my aunt’s place..so no school today(she giggled) …so I thought on the way I can do this…. have to save money for my mother’s eye operation….”
Tears peeped out of kabilan’s eyes….. he took a 100 rupee note out and tried giving to that wonder ..(without seeing the money) “you have already given me..wait uncle, I will do this again and get it from you”
Kabilan was just imagining the size of that little wonder’s challenge against his………. “how ridiculous I was ! I just thought I had problems more than any one else…how stupid I was..but… why ? why is this difference….one set of people struggling hard like this for livelihood and one set spending in thousands for a small party…..? “
“I will ask that man today..i will blast him….why is that different yard sticks for different people ? is he a god or BCCI board member ?...” a cricket fan in kabilan stoop up there !
People came in and went out, but kabilan had no plans other than watching that girl…but the girl got ready to get down, and she was clever enough to know that the train halts for a longer time in potheri station..she got down and went inside the next compartment……..
Kabilan got a place to sit….sat infront of a boy and girl..they looked like his breed…but the manner in which they were talking to each other, and the enormity of the closeness they had in the public place did embarrass him… “this has been the order of the day for many….what is the purpose of behaving like this in a public place?...... uncivilized people in the name of professionals ! “..but curiosity is never down, he tried looking at the girl “somehow I had to tell him sooner that this can’t progress longer….i’m gonna abide by what my parents say”… in a flash kabilan almost ran out of that seat and stood near the entrance…
MM nagar :he was no more prepared to look at any one…. his thoughts traversed all along “so many characters…..so many wishes…so many problems…a difficult design, and a confusing one too…..if at all he is god then why he wants to give problems..why he wants to make people struggle……” he just had a quick recap of all the characters he has met infact he had sailed inside through them…..
The all important SP kovil arrived…… a mix of excitement and hesitation surrounded him and he got down…..
With many questions lined up, he called “‘sir……sir……u there”
“yes my son..i was with you….i’m with every one, but most don’t realize that……okay go ahead”
‘hmm…I agree..i agree that problems are with everyone….but why ? you are a god…then why did u show partiality ?.......”
“son did u ponder why the old couple and the little girl were a lot happier than the rest of them you had seen…… ?“
Kabilan was just thinking…
“son…okay….just look at there…the new construction site over there .what did you see ?’
“what a stupid question ! what can one see there….mason is working to elevate the building…..”
“(laughing hard) hmmm…. Okay just tell what exactly are they doing now? “
“they are taking bricks from a pile and placing it where they fit the best….”
“exactly….to the mason all the bricks are one and the same…he takes it from the same place, and fits the same where he knows it will suit the best…some bricks he keep it full..some he changes the shapes..even some he crushes to fit…..some even gets burnt…but he knows which is good for the brick..and hence good for the building….”
Kabilan had plenty to ask….
“But how can this be justifiable…I remember the incident where 90 odd children who doesn’t even know what fire is, got burnt mercilessly….is this cruelty- your design ?? how ridiculous !! “
“ son you see from the bricks point of view and I see from the whole world’s point of view..just imagine the number of streets and number of buildings for the number of generations….but my son, each and every brick is important to me…I know that even one brick can make a building faulty…..each person has a role to play for the system..every single person’s impact will be felt sooner or later…. ”
Kabilan was still not convinced “But how can a lay man realize that..that he is part of such system..is it not the responsibility of you to teach him ? “
Just when the next train arrived,
“son….three friends will now get down at walk into the station manager’s room..just follow them….i will catch you when it is needed..keep this episode within you..any way even if you want to you will not be able to tell others “
“hello..answer me..hey…”
No reply from the other side…… clock was ticking fast….his PM’s face and the deliverables flashed in front of him…also an important client call was scheduled at 11am..he must be there.. but he still started walking towards the room…
he saw two people trying to bring a person out of train ..that person was looking good, lean but to kabilan’s shock he was without both his legs…they were carrying him… kabilan has never ever seen a person like this…one of the passers by also assisted them ..that disabled person thanked him with a broad smile, infact broadest ….
Kabilan went closer…the two friends carried him into the manager’s room and made him sit on a chair..kabilan peeped through the window..
“dei am I giving so much trouble to you people ? “
“not at all mukundha..why do you say so ? “
“we could have easily come by taxi to SP kovil, but since I wished for a train travel I have made you people to carry me”
“shut up da…what is there in this ? we actually spent no effort to carry you..after all what is the use of having friends?”
Mukundhan gave out another one of his cute smiles …
“mukundha you just sit here, we will see where is manohar’s car…”
“okay da”
After the friends went , kabilan came inside the room…. And managed to smile at mukundhan…
“hi I’m kabilan, working for Infosys..just wanted to say a hi to you”
“hello sir..please sit..no one is here…. I’m mukundhan…. My long time wish to visit the singaperumal temple over here..so we came her…this god is very powerful “
Kabilan was stunned….. “sir if you don’t mind shall I ask you one thing ?”
“sir please”
“don’t you think that god has betrayed you…even after you are put in this state, you still worship him ?“ kabilan was very much furious..his tone said that !
Mukundhan gave out a even warmer smile “no no sir…you are mistaken… u know what a lucky guy iam !.things were really bad but not now…some years back dance was my soul and even now (he giggled..it was a cute one)....i had joined many dance classes, got trained in both bharatanayam and western, but god had something different in store for me….it all happened in fraction of seconds…when I woke up I couldn’t find my legs..nothing was there below my upper thighs….i cried..infact screamed..the whole hospital was taken aback” tears dropped down from mukundhan’s eyes……………..
he continued “I came to my senses after 4 months..my parents were just middle-class, I didn’t have any studies to back me up..then the inevitable of my life happened..i met one of the two most important characters in my life..through a program in suntv-arattai arangam I got to meet Mr.Ezhilan…he is the godfather for all those tamil web pages and tamil scripts..he very first designed a software for that ..but what was important was he had a cruel disease from his boy-hood..you won’t believe it..his intestine would come out when he excretes the solid wastes…even at times when he walks…”
kabilan left out a deep breath “ he wasn’t able to move around like everyone else..he should stay only in a closed room…can’t dress normally…but he never left hope…and he has shown way for a new generation now…when I met him he just said these verses-‘i had that courage to live, any one can die..’………. there are fewer bad people in the world but most of the people here are good people sir… I also felt that if you are motivated and show some initiative, people around you will always help you…we can find good things in everyone sir…life is the way we see it…..”
mukundhan continued with a bigger smile “then god gave me opportunity to meet the second important person ..my master Raghava Lawrence, I told him about my wish..when he told me to practice dance, I even thought that he was teasing me..but I practiced..i practiced everything that I can do with my body..now I’ve succeeded…days in Chennai are lesser as I travel around the world for programmes….” Kabilan just wished that he could listen to mukundhan more and more …mukundhan looked the roof “thank you god ! you have been so kind to me. Wherever I go I will tell people and make them feel that if mukundhan can achieve something in life, you can too.”
The friends arrived ……. “dei this is my new friend kabilan..a very good man!..sir he is ramesh..and he is guna”
kabilan didn’t expect him to be addressed like this !
“mukundha car is ready..we can leave…we will go to temple and then we can go to that home “
“home?....”
“yes sir …..there is a home for the under-privileged here..we will go and see what help we can do to them….(with a glad smile) after all the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose ! “
Kabilan moved out of station……..he felt as if everything got cleared..he felt as if he is in a new world……started walking towards the bus…
Some time later…… in the cube,
“ kabila..where are you ?? it is 10.40 now..aren’t you coming to office? “ kabilan’s PM exclaimed..
“sorry kadhir forgot to inform to you..i’m in SRM hospital now “
“hey what happened? “
“two people near SP kovil bus stand met with an accident..severe blood loss..i have admitted them here….THANK GOD..they are safe…THANK GOD”
he exclaimed in joy !
kabilan now knew that he is actually getting to know new things from each and every person…he went near that girl and tried to see her forehead…
“mom will be hungry..have to get her something to eat at chengalpet”
“ufff”..he wasted no time, much to the surprise of the others around called that girl near..”hey..take this 10 rupees”
“thanks uncle”
“don’t you feel pain in doing this ? you can do something else na… “
“no uncle…I learnt it from an uncle who came to our place..it has become now easy for me...even the people get entertained and I get money for our livelihood…..most importantly I don’t beg….i give some entertainment and they give me money….okay uncle I have to start again” kabilan felt a slap on his face
“hey wait wait…..you..errrr.. I mean sschoool… “
“ya uncle I go… I go to the corporation school..i study sixth standard…..mosa uncle gave me books and pen….on school days I do this after school hours..and weekends I do it all day…I study early morning…”
Nothing moved in kabilan….still managed to “today…school”
“today I’m taking my mother to my aunt’s place..so no school today(she giggled) …so I thought on the way I can do this…. have to save money for my mother’s eye operation….”
Tears peeped out of kabilan’s eyes….. he took a 100 rupee note out and tried giving to that wonder ..(without seeing the money) “you have already given me..wait uncle, I will do this again and get it from you”
Kabilan was just imagining the size of that little wonder’s challenge against his………. “how ridiculous I was ! I just thought I had problems more than any one else…how stupid I was..but… why ? why is this difference….one set of people struggling hard like this for livelihood and one set spending in thousands for a small party…..? “
“I will ask that man today..i will blast him….why is that different yard sticks for different people ? is he a god or BCCI board member ?...” a cricket fan in kabilan stoop up there !
People came in and went out, but kabilan had no plans other than watching that girl…but the girl got ready to get down, and she was clever enough to know that the train halts for a longer time in potheri station..she got down and went inside the next compartment……..
Kabilan got a place to sit….sat infront of a boy and girl..they looked like his breed…but the manner in which they were talking to each other, and the enormity of the closeness they had in the public place did embarrass him… “this has been the order of the day for many….what is the purpose of behaving like this in a public place?...... uncivilized people in the name of professionals ! “..but curiosity is never down, he tried looking at the girl “somehow I had to tell him sooner that this can’t progress longer….i’m gonna abide by what my parents say”… in a flash kabilan almost ran out of that seat and stood near the entrance…
MM nagar :he was no more prepared to look at any one…. his thoughts traversed all along “so many characters…..so many wishes…so many problems…a difficult design, and a confusing one too…..if at all he is god then why he wants to give problems..why he wants to make people struggle……” he just had a quick recap of all the characters he has met infact he had sailed inside through them…..
The all important SP kovil arrived…… a mix of excitement and hesitation surrounded him and he got down…..
With many questions lined up, he called “‘sir……sir……u there”
“yes my son..i was with you….i’m with every one, but most don’t realize that……okay go ahead”
‘hmm…I agree..i agree that problems are with everyone….but why ? you are a god…then why did u show partiality ?.......”
“son did u ponder why the old couple and the little girl were a lot happier than the rest of them you had seen…… ?“
Kabilan was just thinking…
“son…okay….just look at there…the new construction site over there .what did you see ?’
“what a stupid question ! what can one see there….mason is working to elevate the building…..”
“(laughing hard) hmmm…. Okay just tell what exactly are they doing now? “
“they are taking bricks from a pile and placing it where they fit the best….”
“exactly….to the mason all the bricks are one and the same…he takes it from the same place, and fits the same where he knows it will suit the best…some bricks he keep it full..some he changes the shapes..even some he crushes to fit…..some even gets burnt…but he knows which is good for the brick..and hence good for the building….”
Kabilan had plenty to ask….
“But how can this be justifiable…I remember the incident where 90 odd children who doesn’t even know what fire is, got burnt mercilessly….is this cruelty- your design ?? how ridiculous !! “
“ son you see from the bricks point of view and I see from the whole world’s point of view..just imagine the number of streets and number of buildings for the number of generations….but my son, each and every brick is important to me…I know that even one brick can make a building faulty…..each person has a role to play for the system..every single person’s impact will be felt sooner or later…. ”
Kabilan was still not convinced “But how can a lay man realize that..that he is part of such system..is it not the responsibility of you to teach him ? “
Just when the next train arrived,
“son….three friends will now get down at walk into the station manager’s room..just follow them….i will catch you when it is needed..keep this episode within you..any way even if you want to you will not be able to tell others “
“hello..answer me..hey…”
No reply from the other side…… clock was ticking fast….his PM’s face and the deliverables flashed in front of him…also an important client call was scheduled at 11am..he must be there.. but he still started walking towards the room…
he saw two people trying to bring a person out of train ..that person was looking good, lean but to kabilan’s shock he was without both his legs…they were carrying him… kabilan has never ever seen a person like this…one of the passers by also assisted them ..that disabled person thanked him with a broad smile, infact broadest ….
Kabilan went closer…the two friends carried him into the manager’s room and made him sit on a chair..kabilan peeped through the window..
“dei am I giving so much trouble to you people ? “
“not at all mukundha..why do you say so ? “
“we could have easily come by taxi to SP kovil, but since I wished for a train travel I have made you people to carry me”
“shut up da…what is there in this ? we actually spent no effort to carry you..after all what is the use of having friends?”
Mukundhan gave out another one of his cute smiles …
“mukundha you just sit here, we will see where is manohar’s car…”
“okay da”
After the friends went , kabilan came inside the room…. And managed to smile at mukundhan…
“hi I’m kabilan, working for Infosys..just wanted to say a hi to you”
“hello sir..please sit..no one is here…. I’m mukundhan…. My long time wish to visit the singaperumal temple over here..so we came her…this god is very powerful “
Kabilan was stunned….. “sir if you don’t mind shall I ask you one thing ?”
“sir please”
“don’t you think that god has betrayed you…even after you are put in this state, you still worship him ?“ kabilan was very much furious..his tone said that !
Mukundhan gave out a even warmer smile “no no sir…you are mistaken… u know what a lucky guy iam !.things were really bad but not now…some years back dance was my soul and even now (he giggled..it was a cute one)....i had joined many dance classes, got trained in both bharatanayam and western, but god had something different in store for me….it all happened in fraction of seconds…when I woke up I couldn’t find my legs..nothing was there below my upper thighs….i cried..infact screamed..the whole hospital was taken aback” tears dropped down from mukundhan’s eyes……………..
he continued “I came to my senses after 4 months..my parents were just middle-class, I didn’t have any studies to back me up..then the inevitable of my life happened..i met one of the two most important characters in my life..through a program in suntv-arattai arangam I got to meet Mr.Ezhilan…he is the godfather for all those tamil web pages and tamil scripts..he very first designed a software for that ..but what was important was he had a cruel disease from his boy-hood..you won’t believe it..his intestine would come out when he excretes the solid wastes…even at times when he walks…”
kabilan left out a deep breath “ he wasn’t able to move around like everyone else..he should stay only in a closed room…can’t dress normally…but he never left hope…and he has shown way for a new generation now…when I met him he just said these verses-‘i had that courage to live, any one can die..’………. there are fewer bad people in the world but most of the people here are good people sir… I also felt that if you are motivated and show some initiative, people around you will always help you…we can find good things in everyone sir…life is the way we see it…..”
mukundhan continued with a bigger smile “then god gave me opportunity to meet the second important person ..my master Raghava Lawrence, I told him about my wish..when he told me to practice dance, I even thought that he was teasing me..but I practiced..i practiced everything that I can do with my body..now I’ve succeeded…days in Chennai are lesser as I travel around the world for programmes….” Kabilan just wished that he could listen to mukundhan more and more …mukundhan looked the roof “thank you god ! you have been so kind to me. Wherever I go I will tell people and make them feel that if mukundhan can achieve something in life, you can too.”
The friends arrived ……. “dei this is my new friend kabilan..a very good man!..sir he is ramesh..and he is guna”
kabilan didn’t expect him to be addressed like this !
“mukundha car is ready..we can leave…we will go to temple and then we can go to that home “
“home?....”
“yes sir …..there is a home for the under-privileged here..we will go and see what help we can do to them….(with a glad smile) after all the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose ! “
Kabilan moved out of station……..he felt as if everything got cleared..he felt as if he is in a new world……started walking towards the bus…
Some time later…… in the cube,
“ kabila..where are you ?? it is 10.40 now..aren’t you coming to office? “ kabilan’s PM exclaimed..
“sorry kadhir forgot to inform to you..i’m in SRM hospital now “
“hey what happened? “
“two people near SP kovil bus stand met with an accident..severe blood loss..i have admitted them here….THANK GOD..they are safe…THANK GOD”
he exclaimed in joy !
