She went and washed her face and fell loosely on the couch staring aimlessly at the wall. Her eyes fell on the calender hanging on the opposite wall. A cold shiver ran down her spine and before she knew a tear drop tumbled down her cheeks. She took a deep breath and wiped the tear of her cheeks. It had been 20 years now, but the wounds were still fresh in her soul.

29th December 1991, Mithya was returning home after attending her coaching classes. It was a cold stormy winter night and Mithya was running back home before the last light went off. Just as she reached the corner of the street that adjoined her house and the Kali temple, she met Kalp , her fathers’ younger brother. Kalp , two years elder to Mithya was a notorious lad whose only work was to trouble the village girls. Mithya did not like her uncle or his behavior and always kept a distance from him.

He stopped Mithya and asked her to sit on his cycle so they could reach home faster, Mithya politely refused and continued walking , when Kalp stopped her again and in an authoritative voice asked her to sit on the cycle. Mithya , not wanting to raise the anger of her father , sat at the back of his cycle, for she knew had she refused Kalp would have complained to his brother. They reached home in a few minutes, drenched.

Mithya ran inside calling out to her mother, but got no response. She turned around to check in the neighborhood when Kalp told her that her parents had gone to her mothers’ village and would only return the next evening.

A fear ran down her spine. She had always doubted her young uncle’s intentions and detested the idea of being alone with him on any given circumstances.

She decided to quickly eat her meal and go to her room. She quickly finished her meal and ran to her room. She knew her uncle will call her for some work or the other and so she decided to sleep early to avoid summoning to her uncles’ demands. She turned off the lights and lay still in her bed. She could here Kalps’ footsteps outside her door. He peeped in to see what she was up to and then went away for a while. Mithya, breathed a sigh of relief and decided to sleep. It was almost an hour now when Mithya felt something awkward around her. She tried to jump out and reach for the lights, but a hand tightly held her , restricting her movements . She tried to scream out for help , but Kalp quickly gagged her . He then tied her hands to the bedpost and entered her body repeatedly fondling with her body. She tried to scream and cry for help, but her shoved the piece of cloth that gagged her deeper , almost choking her. He then ran down his tongue across her cheeks and then her neck and then further lower down her body. He then got up and left the room , after untying her.

Mithya lay there agonizing in pain and trauma…. shivering. She did not get ready for the school next day. Kalp entered her room in the evening again warning her not to breathe a word about the incident. Her parents came in the evening and she went to meet her mother, who sensed something wrong.

She entered Mithya’s room later that night asking her what had happened . Mithya just caught her mother and started crying. After a lot of cajoling Mithya finally told her mother of the gruesome incident. Her mother was shocked and disgusted.

She decided to go to Mithya’s father and ask him to throw his brother out of the house. Mithya’s father a true chauvinist, on hearing this reacted in a very heated manner and asked Mithya and her mother to leave the house immediately.

He believed Mithya tempted his brother and forced herself upon him . He said she was a harlot and accused her mother of not teaching her daughter the right values. Mithya was a black mark on her fathers’ name and he wished for her to leave with her mother immediately. Mithya stood there motionlessly while her mother gathered their clothes and left the house dragging Mithya behind her.

20 years now, but the wounds of that night are still fresh in her mind. With the help of the NGO where she now works, she filed a case against Kalp ten years ago. She still patiently waits for justice and lives each day in the hope to achieve it.

It was 22:30 when Meeta’s car entered her apartments’ basement . She quickly parked her car and took the lift up to her newly purchased penthouse. Meeta had bought the penthouse as a gift for her husband Jitesh’s birthday last month.

Jitesh, 32, was a software engineer by profession. He had been laid off during the recession that had hit the world and was searching for a new job. In the meanwhile he had been babysitting and  taking care of their 2 years old daughter.

Meeta quietly took out the house keys and turned the lock open, making sure not to make any noise. She knew her daughter would have been sleeping now and the noise may disturb her.

She entered the house and hung the set of car key on the key holder by the wall. she slipped back the house key in her bag and walked towards the room. The balcony light was on and she could see Jitesh sitting by the corner with a glass in his hand. She said a quick hello to him and went inside the bedroom to see her daughter and change.She quickly slipped into her night dress and went to the balcony to greet Jitesh.

She sat beside him and soft laid her arm around his shoulder, he shrugged his shoulder and rose to make himself another drink. Meeta playfully caught his wrist and pleaded not to drink any more as he had , had a lot and was not in his senses. Jitesh snapped back at her and went in to get another drink .

Jitesh had been off a job for a very long time and the frustration of sitting idle at home was suffocating him from within. Meeta had sensed the tension and the turmoil he went through and tried her best to make things better.

He came back with a filled glass and stood at the edge of the balcony gazing out at the sky. Meeta wiped of her tears and stood next to him. She looked at him with her damp eyes and tried to ask him to be patient. She knew he was very talented and would soon get a nice offer . She placed her hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ears.

Jitesh was far too frustrated and high to think logically at that moment. The vacuum created by his unemployment was bubbling within him like a hot molten lava. He was obligated to vent it out before it devoured him .

He impetuously shrugged Meeta’s hand off his shoulder with a sudden force and turned away . Meeta taken aback by his gesture lost her balance off the balcony’s railing. She shrieked for his name in a helpless despair.

He turned back, alarmed by her sudden shriek, just to see her fall off the railing. He made a quick attempt to catch her and pull her back into his arms, but missed her by a nano second.

He ran out of the house frantically in an attempt to save her. The lift was at the 5th floor and so he raced down the stairs. Meeta was descending down still screaming out for her life, with her eyes shut in sheers helplessness. She knew her end awaited her and nothing could bring her back. Images of her daughter and her marriage swayed past her eyes as she hit the gravel with a big THUD !

Soaked in sweat, Jitesh reached the spot gasping for breath to see Meeta lying there still in a pool of her own blood, flowing from her head. Her stone still eyes, that still had their dampness looked up to their balcony. He knelt down beside her and slowly took her hand in his hand, stroking it gently gazing into her lifeless eyes.

He was frustrated- frustrated over his bosses extreme bossy nature, frustrated over the fight with his colleagues over the way he wants them to work with him, frustrated over his family always bugging him to marry when he said he doesn’t want to, frustrated over the way life had treated him, frustrated over his girlfriend who dumped him for his assistant, frustrated over the stupidity he did trusting her.

He was about to sleep, thinking about all the frustrations of life. But at these times, when you are thinking about the dilemmas of your life, you always think of god. God wanted it like that. He wanted us to remember him at-least sometimes in our life. So, he created all the valleys in life so that you can just tumble down and remember him. Otherwise in this busy world we don’t even remember our very closed ones. And thus he remembered him.

“Why?”

He had nothing else to ask. And even God was confused to give an answer. So, he just slept.

God was bemused about what to do. So, he searched in his computer for the folder about the man’s life. He didn’t remember what he planned for him. He found it, read it and just smiled. It was just too easy.!

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The next day was going the same way for him. He woke up frustrated, brushed frustrated, got fresh frustrated, had breakfast frustrated. He was one frustrated fellow! His parents again bugged him about his marriage plans but stopped when they saw his frustrated face. God was looking at all of it- smiling. Just when his assistant saw him.

“Why are smiling God?”

“I found the solution to his problems”

“And what is that?”

“Just watch!”

The man drove his car to his office. He knew even today he wont be able to convince his boss that the product they are making wouldn’t fetch them any profit. He knew he wouldn’t be able to get any help from his colleagues. But he didn’t knew that God was watching him. He was prepared for the worst.

He was sitting in his cabin. Just when his phone rang.

“Sire! Miss Gitika has come to meet you. She wants to talk to you about some product fault.”

“Hmm…ohk let her in” He said as he prepared himself for something worse-a complaint!

He started acting as if he had a lot of work to do. He started looking in his files.

KNOCK KNOCK!!

“Come in.”

He still didn’t look up just to avoid the complaint. He knew there was a flaw but he was himself fighting with people in his company about it. But, then she had different plans.

“Sir?” Her voice was pleasing. He HAD to look up.

A girl in the mid 20’s, average height, clear face was standing in front of her- looking nervous.

“Yes? You came for some complaint?”

“No.”

“Then? you are Gitika right?”

“Yes. But I am not here for complaint.”

“So, why are you here?”

“For the post of your assistant…” He was baffled. But she continued. “…Actually, Mrs. Nayyar told me you had an assistant but he left and you don’t like to take anyone in now. So,….” This time she just stopped and smiled to him. It was done. Her smile was beautiful. It was magical and the magic worked.

He hadn’t even smiled for so long. But, he was smiling in return. He could do nothing but smile. God did it. His idea worked.!

PS: the post is dedicated to a very dear friend whose smile is what made me think about this story and whose ‘encouragement’ made me write this, although its all fiction.

PS: rock on!!!

Prologue

“Ugh?…enough baby. You have already offered me a lot today”

“You don’t want it from me?”

“No, I meant Yes I want, when it is you who is giving me, I’m always happy to get”

It is the seventh time she was kissing on me on the phone from the time we started talking. I couldn’t deny the truth that we have been associated with each other with love for the past 2 years and she was the one who proposed me first. She has accomplished a very difficult task.

It was an unexpected encounter with Divya, a year ago, the days when I was just any other stranger to her.

“OK what are you doing? Done with today’s work?” She enquired.

“Yea, going to start. We’ll go out for dinner today. Are you game?”

“Ok dear, sure I’m game, bye for now”

I opened the work folder for the day’s work.

●●●

Story

The food court adjacent to our office was vast and well air conditioned. The low temperature air molecules engulf you as soon as you open the glass door in the entrance. I usually have my breakfast, lunch and if required dinner too, in this Food Court. It was a cool November month and it was drizzling a bit outside. The weather was nice and this AC added chillness to the season.

“1 Aloo paratha” I said. The guy in the counter handed me a token and I came out of the line to wait for my turn and that’s when she came into the FC.

I’ve ‘seen’ many girls working in our office, but none of them have ever gathered so much attention towards them. I looked at her. She entered the food court with her rosy flower patterned umbrella. Without any delay, she quickly closed it and walked in slowly, quite unsure about where to settle.

Surprisingly she was wearing a Sari. Many of them out here clad themselves in chudidar or sleeveless tops and leggings. I’ve almost saturated looking at all of them. But the visual treat I was experiencing was different. She carried herself with such an ease and her poise look and attitude invited much of my attention.

Her light pink sari added color to the environment. The surroundings were badly missing that color and her presence filled the void. It was a visual delight for the onlookers. Unfortunate that I was one of those and not the only one! Her Saree pallu was embroidered with small cylindrical beads which looked like a pearl. It swayed in air as she walked along the line. The beads dangling in the end of the pallu sent jingles in my ears. Her designer blouse was short, which was neither a sleeveless nor a sleeved one. It was just a mid way between that, which exposed her slim slender arms.

Her mesmerizing eyes spoke thousands of unspoken words which I could not decipher. The fluttering eyebrows reminded me of the tinkling star. The kaajal which outlined her eyes added beauty to the black. Black was no more a sign of inauspiciousness.

She was wearing big round earrings with a small cut in the circle. The circle was incomplete at one point. I thought her circular-ringed ear rings has been broken, but looking at the other ear, gave me an insight on the fashion and trendy accessories of women. It wasn’t broken but it was just an incomplete circle.

My heart wasn’t with me and now mind has started its journey towards her.

“Token no 37… Token no 37” came the announcement. I came back to my senses. I walked towards the counter to get my plate of aloo paratha.

I wish, I get a chance to have breakfast with her.

●●●

Coffee Café Day, Friday 5.00 PM

I was sitting with my friends in the couch for yet-another-treat which was arranged by one of my friends. I was sipping the Green apple soda as I was in diet. I didn’t want to overload my fat with the Double layered cheese pizza, café frappe or the chocolate Sunday. My mobile in my pant pocket vibrated to let me know that someone was calling.

I placed the glass in the table and was about to get up, just then a light soft cloth touched my shoulder and drifted past. It was the duppattah of some girl. Suddenly, I felt someone pulling my shirt near my collar. The threads hanging on the end of the duppattah got stuck in one of the buttons in my shirt that pulled me in the direction.

“Uh oh..Sorry..” I heard the voice and turned back to see who was the girl blessing me with her duppattah. It was she!!!!!

“That’s ok. No problem” I said.

“I didn’t notice, sorry, I never usually leave this so open, and did not know it will get create problem for you” She was talking so hurriedly as if the wings of butterfly flutters over the flower petals.

Obviously it wasn’t any problem for me, I thought

“Oh all right. I can understand that,” I replied. She left the place smiling. My friends giggled and teased me with her.

Uh oh..Sorry…those were the first words she spoke to me.

I wish, I have a coffee with her.

●●●

It was 5.00 pm in my office, when I was hurrying away for the evening bus. Just then she saw me again.

“Hey Hi…remember me?” She blocked my way with her cute smile.

“Hello. I do remember you. Coffee Café Day (CCD), your duppattah…err…” I smiled.

“I didn’t know we work in the same company. Glad to meet you” She said.

Haha, who said? I have been admiring you for the past one week, my inner self spoke.

“Yeah..errr……even I didn’t know that” I fumbled in an effort to conceal my inner thoughts.

“So you seem to be in a hurry it seems?” She asked.

“Yea…no…My bus…I was just,” I couldn’t control my mind. It was speaking all that coming into it.

“Hey what happened? Are you ok?” she was so spontaneous.

“No I was just confused,” I gained my senses and didn’t want to miss this opportunity, so I continued “and I was in a hurry, if you don’t mind shall we go for a coffee?” I offered. I offered a girl for a coffee, neither letting her know my details nor knowing her name and whereabouts.

Both of us took comfortable seats in the CCD.

“2 Cappuccino” I ordered.

“Sorry I did not introduce me, I’m Rajeev and it’s been two years I joined this company.”

“Oh 2 years,” she wondered, “I’m Deepthi, it’s been a year I joined here and I’ve been transferred here a week back.

Oh, alright so I saw you on the first day, I thought.

“I see, are you a Chennaite?” I asked her back.

“No, I was in Bangalore, but transferred here” She replied.

As we were chatting, the coffee arrived and we took the cups. I could see the light brown heart symbol was designed in the surface of the cappuccino using the foam which they usually do.

“Cute na?” she smiled seeing the coffee surface. She liked it. I felt as if, something was throwing hints on me to propose. But, how come, in the first strike itself? I was thinking. I’ll project a bad image to her and I had a fear of losing the game. So I kept silent.

“Rajeev” I heard my name. I realized that I was lost in thoughts. “What happened?” she asked again.

“Nothing, I was just lost in thoughts” I said.

“You are certainly not a guy to go with it seems. How can you lose yourself in thoughts when sitting with a gorgeous 23 year old girl by the side and with a coffee in hand in the busiest places in our office?” She completed with a pause.

You are certainly not a guy to go with it seems. My God, this is not the statement a guy expects from a girl. But I can’t help it. How can I tell her that, I was lost in thoughts only about her?

“No I was thinking, was that you who came into the food court on a breezy and rainy morning in a pink Sari and a rose umbrella.” I didn’t want to tell her the remaining of my admiration.

“Woooooooooww! So you did see me. You were looking at me from some corner is it? Guys are always guys” She frowned cutely.

What did she expect guys to be then? Guys are guys, girls are girls, and animals are animals. I thought.

“Hmmm…can’t help. I admire nature, when something is adding more beauty to it; I can’t help myself enjoying it. It was so colorful that it filled my whole of the eyes. I couldn’t stop myself come out of the ecstasy”

“You naughty, shameless. How can you just tell all this to a woman directly?” She was getting more excited on my statement and spoke in an effort to tease me. I know, none of the guys would have told this straight to any girl.

“I feel nothing wrong in telling this. I’m just telling the truth. I think it is always good to tell things which make others feel good.”

“You are so sweet. I have not seen anybody like you.” She said, “Many guys don’t talk things which they think. Your mind and words are coherent. You are open and I like it”

I was on cloud hundred (I know it is weird and too high. Many of them always reach cloud nine.) But, I was in a state of happiness that nobody can reach. She told I’m so sweet. It is always difficult to get such praising from a girl. But I’ve succeeded in getting one. I’ve made a mark. I’ve never been this much happy when I scored centum in chemistry in my board exams.

“Thank you very much for the compliment” I smiled.

OK, not how to get her number? That was another big task which was at hand.

“Do you know which route bus goes to Adyar?” she asked.

“Oh so you stay in Adyar? Uh…it is bus number 25” I said.

“Yea I stay there and by the way where do you stay?”

“I’m from Triplicane” I said.

“Triplicane? Hey can you do me a favor? I need a book from the National Book House. It is available only in that place.”

I found this a good opportunity to get her mobile number. It is not always easy to get a girl’s phone number. I patted myself “you are doing a good job”

“Yea, no problem, with pleasure,” I looked into my watch and it was 6.10. I had already missed my 5.30 bus. Not wanting to miss this one as well, I told her, “Hey it is 6.10. I’ve to catch my bus. I’ll give my number, just message me the book name and author, I’ll reply once I get one.”

She took her mobile and said, “Tell your number” I couldn’t afford to waste any minute.

“Give your mobile, I will give a missed call to my number and you save it. OK?” I said in a hurry.

“Someone is in hurry, ok here it is”, she handed over the mobile to me. I quickly punched my mobile number in her cell phone and dialed it. It sent a vibration in my mobile.

“OK here it is. Just save it, I’ll message you. Bbye. Oh the bill!!” I remembered the coffee bill. By the time, the waiter arrived with the bill. I gave him the change and both of us left the place.

She walked away slowly to her building. I hurried away towards the bus.

One of my wish came true. I had a coffee with her

●●●

The bus journey was so tiring and I had to quickly finish washing, buying and all other work before 9.30 pm so that I can quickly get back to bed.

I was in my bed and was tweeting from my mobile twitter client. An SMS popped up. It was from her – Incoming Message from Deepthi.

“Hi what are you doing?”

My heart blossomed like the lotus flower, which waits for the first rays of Sun. Happiness occupied my heart. I replied her back.

“I’m trying to sleep, but not able to..:D” I replied.

“Someone is thinking about somebody ” she messaged me back.

“No Deepthi, hehe..not like that, just that I’m not able to sleep” I messaged her.

“Did you get that book?” she asked.

“Yea, its there in my bag. I’ll give u tomo in office” I replied.

“Had dinner?” It was she.

“Yea, I had and wat about you?”

“I tooooooo. Tummy full! ” she replied.

“haha..cool and hey are you free this weekend?”  I replied.

“Yeaaaaaaa, I’m almost. No work this weekend. y r u asking?” She asked.

I wanted to spend time with her. I don’t know what to say. I just wanted to go out with her. I wanted her to be in my sight.

“Nothing, just wanted to go out. I thought you’ll be free so that I can take you along” I said.

“Oh, sure Rajeev, I’ll be there. Where to go?” She asked.

“mmm…haven’t decided yet. We’ll go to City Center and then go for dinner. Is that fine?” I asked.

“Oh okie, I don’t know where these places are. I fully depend on you” She said.

“Sure Deep, you can ” I said. ‘Deep’ that’s how I call her short.

“Hmmm, anyways OK dear Gud nite & Sweet Drmz!! ”

“2 u too Sweet Dreamz!” I replied.

The conversation ended. I looked into the messages again. The mention of the word “dear” seemed to be comforting. A girl will not utter this word to any guy just like that. Only when you get a small place in her heart and you become so adorable, you get this privilege of being addressed as dear

I closed my eyes trying to dive deep into the sleep with her thought bubbles engulfing me. I don’t remember when I slept, but when I woke up, it was 6.00 AM. I got out of the bed and walked towards the bathroom for brushing my teeth.

●●●

Days passed and both of us were comfortable with each other. We met on weekends, spent time together and she had become my integral part of my life.

The next day in office was hectic. I didn’t get much time to ping her in the messenger. I left office early, as I had some work. In the evening, I just remembered that I had not given the book to her yet. I tried calling her number. But the ring went on and nobody picked up. I thought she might be busy and may call me back. I thought I’ll call her back after an hour.

Her mobile was ringing but she is not picking up. I was bit down. I couldn’t talk to her. I boarded my bus and was looking into the book that I bought for her. I kept turning the pages, in a hope that she will call me sometime. I was so much worried about why is she not picking up the call.

I was even talking to her yesterday but what could have happened? These thoughts kept nudging me.

●●●

I tried calling her again and again. I sent mail to her external email ID, to her corporate email. I even sent her a message to call me, if she sees my message. But to my disappointment, I didn’t get any message or call from her.

A week passed. I enquired about her with my friends. I do not know any of her friends here. I was clueless on what to do. Her mobile number was the only contact I have with me. I wanted to express my interest on her. I wanted to express my love. But when everything comes in coherence, the time, an opportunity and a weekend, she herself is not available.

My days passed like hell. Has she got a transfer again? She went to Bangalore again? I had no information. My routine has become mechanical. I worked like a zombie. I came, I worked, I left. I spent all days in her thoughts.

It was almost a month.  One evening when I was at home lying down in the bed, I got a call in my mobile which changed my life.

I picked up the call, in an anticipation that Deepthi might call. She will tell me that she lost her mobile. But an old man was on the other line.

●●●

“Yes, Rajeev here” I said.

“I’m Deepthi father speaking. Rajeev, Deepthi is…” His voice was trembling.

“S…S….Sir, tell me what Deepthi is…what happened?” I interrupted.

“Deepthi is..in hospital…” He was crying.

My heart stopped for a moment. Hospital? Why is she hospitalized?

“Sir, where is she, I mean where is the hospital?” I didn’t expect such a call.

“If you can come to Adyar, Malar Hospital, please come soon” He said now with the heavy heart.

“Is she alright? Please tell me sir”

“Rajeev, she will be fine”

“I’m coming sir. I’m coming right away”

I reached the reception in another fifteen minutes.

“Rajeev…” someone called me from behind. I turned back. An old man in his old and brown Khadi pyjama, appeared in front of me.

“Sir, Deepthi…” I was about to ask.

“Please come with me,” He said, “She is in third floor”

I followed him to the lift. He pressed the number 3 in the lift. The lift ascended though the building and jerk halted in the third floor. We came out of the lift and walked.

As we were walking in the third floor, her father came to a halt in front a glass door which was labeled in big red letters ICU

My heart stopped.

He gestured me to go and see her. I entered the ICU with tears in my eyes. The smell of the hospital room was disgusting to me. From my childhood itself, I was afraid of hospitals. The odour was so chilling and it always reminded me of injections and tinctures.

She was there lying in the bed motionless with bandages all over her head with red patches of thick blood dried in the white cloth. I wanted to cry loudly so that the whole world will hear me. I held her hand for the first time and kissed her. But what am I doing? I’ve not yet proposed to her, but all my actions are exposing my love.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was her father.

“I know Rajeev, how much u love her. She had said this to me before that she has so much affection for you and she wanted you to be in her life. Tears rolled down my eyes.

“She met with an accident. A lorry hit her and the driver escaped. God was so kind, few good hearted people admitted her in the hospital and informed me through her mobile contacts” He took some time to explain.

I didn’t know what to say. I was in mixed emotions. Should I be happy because she too loved me or should I cry because she is hurt badly?

“She has not opened her eyes for the past 2 days. She is in critical stage. There was a heavy blood loss. The operation took almost 5 hours. Her head was heavily injured. Doctors were not sure if she can remember anything even if she gets back her consciousness.” Her father spoke intermittently.

I couldn’t bear the scene of Deepthi in ICU and with bandages. Over that, her consciousness and the possibility of she not remembering anything fuelled my lamenting state and it was rubbing salt in my wounds.

I couldn’t control my tears. My energy has been drained. I sat on the chair outside the ICU. Deepthi’s mother and few others came there. I understood the situation and told her father that, I’ll come tomorrow morning and meet him again.

I walked out of the hospital with heavy heart.

●●●

I woke up when my mobile phone rang sending vibrations all though the surface of the bed. It was the call from Deepthi’s mobile. It should be her father. I picked up the call.

“Hello…” I said.

“Rajeev, I’m Deepthi’s father…”

“Yes uncle, I know. How is Deepthi? Has she gained her consciousness?” I asked.

“No Rajeev….not yet. Doctors were not able to give any clear information.” Her father was almost in tears.

Oh God, how long this will go. Will I get her back in my life? I prayed god, “Please take my life and give her all strength to get back to her senses. God, please give her life. I need her in my life”

I quickly got ready and reached the hospital. There I found all her relatives standing outside the ICU. Her father came and escorted me. One of the doctors came in to view with some prescription.

“Please get these injections & medicines immediately…” He said.

I went near her father and took the sheet of prescription, “I’ll get it for her, uncle” and left hurriedly towards the pharmacy.

By the time I came back all of them have dispersed. I entered the ICU with the medicines and handed over it to the nurse. I could see her father sitting in the chair. I took a seat near her bed and sat beside her. I took her hands and clutched the fingers softly, in a blind anticipation that some of my energy will get transferred to her. I was looking on her eyes which were closed.

After some few minutes, I could see some movement in her eyes. She was trying to open her eyes. I was very much happy and was excited to see her movement. She was trying to hold my hand. I was speechless. Words didn’t come out of my mouth. I wanted to shout but again I was blocked by emotions. I always wonder why would our speech gets blocked and words don’t come out when we are in deep emotional onrush.

God heard me. I was thankful to God. Tears rolled down my cheeks and the drop landed in her wrist. She opened her eyes.

“Uncleeeee, She opened her eyes, Deepthi gained her consciousness” I shouted. He came near us and was so much happy to see her smiling at him. The ward nurse came hearing me shout and examined Deepthi’s pulse, blood pressure and the ECG equipment to which she was connected to.

“She is fine. I’ll call the duty doctor to speak with you for further treatment and medicines” saying this she left smiling.

I was at the pinnacle of my happiness. I went neat the bed. She was smiling at me. Her father was very much happy and he was in tears. He was so much glad that her daughter recovered. He kissed her forehead, smiled and left the room understanding our privacy needs. I spoke with her

“Deepthi…I missed you a lot,” I spoke with tear filled eyes, “I wanted to say this for a long time, but destiny has designed my life to tell this to you after missing you so much”

“Rajeev, I too wanted to say this dear. But I was so much afraid that I may lose your friendship and I can’t bear the failure. So I was so hesitant to tell you” She spoke with so much happiness.

“Don’t worry dear, now everything is fine. I’ve come. I’ll be with you forever. Get well soon. I’m so happy for you Deep, I’ve not been this much happy in my life. I’ve found you. I found you back after losing so much. I’ll not let this happen again” I said.

“Rajeev, I want to be with you all throughout my life. Promise me” she said.

“I promise…I love you so much dear. I love you” I said.

Doctor came for the check up. After the checkup, I took the prescription to get her medicines. I went to the nearby medical shop, but the medicines were not available. So I informed her father and took his bike to get medicines from other pharmacy.

●●●

The bike was drifting past the dusty roads of Chennai. There was a heavy traffic and I had to find small gaps to move ahead in the crowd. After three junctions, the road became clear; I changed the gear to the next higher level and raised the throttle. The bike picked up speed and swiftly covered kilometers. The days I spent with her in the Coffee shops, Office, late night messages etc were one of those memorable moments of my life. I’ll cherish each and every moment of my life with her. Sometime back, she was a stranger to me, now she is mine. I have her in my life. I’ll be with her forever….

Just then I was about to take a left turn, when I was in my extreme right side of the road. I spotted a big caravan in my rear view mirror, approaching with full speed to over take me. I was slowly moving towards left in the three lane road and I had no time to pull back. I cannot even reduce the speed or apply break. With a big bunch of vehicles at my back, I couldn’t do anything. There was a big barricade in the front at a distance, so I had to take a left turn. I was almost towards the left, and the caravan’s impact on my bike was devastating.

The last scene that I could visualize was the horrific view of the big container crushing my bike under its weight and myself screeching with the remnants of the bike sweeping the clean road, towards one of the platforms. The last thing I remember was a crowd running towards me and a thick red liquid flowing around my head on the ground. I could taste blood in my lips and smell blood in my nose. Darkness has started engulfing me and my vision was blank. I couldn’t see anything. I could feel the pain in my hands, when someone was lifting me. I don’t remember anything after that.

Life has come to an end.

●●●

The place was new to me. The garden was so beautiful with its red and green and blue and all colors of flowers. The atmosphere was warm. It wasn’t sweating though the sun was shining brightly. I could see a group of people walking in a line towards a big castle like bungalow.

I was hungry. I thought, they might be giving some food. I joined the queue. There was no fight and hurry. Everything was happening in a very slow pace. I wondered where this place on earth is. Peace prevailed all throughout. I slowly advanced towards the main entrance of the bungalow. I couldn’t see anyone distributing food. But all of them were given a pair of dress. I peeped above the line. All of them were given the same white color cotton like apparel to be worn. I looked into my own dress. I was in my denim jean which was not washed for months and the T-shirt which was torn and dirty.

I wondered why it is dirty and torn. I tried to think the last time I washed this T-shirt. Someone from behind pushed me towards the big entrance. Someone was sitting on the left side high on a well decorated chair. He gave me the clothes which were distributed to all. I walked towards a common room where people were changing into the new clothes. After wearing the white dress which was like pyjama and kurta, I walked towards a common place where people were advancing to.

There was one big cauldron which can hold 2 people at a time inside. People were walking into the cauldron one by one with a time gap of some five minutes. I turned around and asked one of them.

“Excuse me, what is happening here?” I asked.

One guy who was standing behind me in his pyjamas replied, “This is a place where people are validated for their deeds. The person will be measured for the deeds, sins and righteousness and based on the ranking he will be sent back to earth to suffer or he will be promoted to Heaven. There are cases where, if someone from the earth prays with true love, dedication and faith to the almighty to get back their loved ones who are in the verge of life and death, those prayers are heard and the person will be sent back to earth.”

What a stupid logic? Why the hell am I stuck with this moron? What the hell is he blabbering? Heaven, Earth, sins, what’s happening here? I thought.

“Brother, we all are dead or on the verge of death. We are in a transient state between life and death. We are in the gateway towards heaven” He said.

I have heard gateways of India, but gateway of Heaven…Hmmm seems to be some crap

“What? Dead? Am I dead?” I asked.

“Yes, we are now in the short listing stage. Only deserving candidate will be reaching heaven” He said.

Dude, are we in the process of interview? Do we have aptitude tests?  HR interview? My conscience was still reluctant to believe what I’m hearing and seeing. As we marched towards the big cauldron, it was my turn in a few minutes. The one who was standing in front of me just entered the cauldron and didn’t turn up. I was waiting for him to come back so that I can go in. But he didn’t turn up.

Someone from the side asked me to get in, “Get in son, you will be purified and measured”

I slowly entered the cauldron. It was dark inside. The smell of old copper plunged into my nostrils. I could see only darkness; I walked forward and stretched my hands to find someone inside. But I could see only empty space. Dark empty space!!

Suddenly a swish of air made me turn to some direction through which a bright light seemed to emerge. A big orangish round dot like thing appeared and it spoke

“Son, lie down in this bed. You are destined to live. You are here because you asked for it. Someone is living because of you. Your true dedication and prayers were answered. But it is so fortunate that, your love scored all other deeds that were taken for measuring your chastity. You are going to live. Someone loves you more than how much you love them”

“Sir, Am I dead? Why am I here? Someone loves me more than I do?” I was asking questions. I don’t know what to do. I was simply staring at the bright white light which has appeared in front of me and has grown large.

“Son, all your questions will be answered. Listen to me as I say” the voice spoke again.

I looked down to find a bed near me. It was just a normal bed but with lots of floral designs and embellishments. I lied down in the bed.

“Close your eyes son”, came the voice.

I closed my eyes slowly and there as a flash of light again and the journey to some unknown oblivion prevailed.

●●●

I could sense a group of people who were clad in white overcoat were pressing and hustling around me. Something was placed over my face. I could feel someone pressing my chest vigorously. A deep pain surged through my esophagus. I felt difficult to breath. The darkness around me seemed to lose its thickness. Slowly the darkness evaded itself each other and I could see some dull faint movements. I felt as if looking through a microscope. I still remember my biology Practical Lab sessions. The faint light seemed to spread and I could see some hazy scenes before my eyes.

I could sense heavy disturbance in my body. Someone was pushing and pulling. I couldn’t still get a clear view of anything. Suddenly I felt a streak pain flowing throw my chest and there I open my eyes with pounding heart and breathing vigorously through my mouth. I was gasping. I was hungry for oxygen. My heart was beating *thug**thug**thug*. I could feel the rush of fresh air into my lungs.

Slowly known faces appeared before of me. It was my dad, mom then my uncle, then there was a much known face, it was…it was Deepthi’s dad.

Deepthi!! I now remember everything. I was hit and there was an accident. I recovered. Then there came Deepthi’s face. She was smiling. I smiled. All of them very exchanging happy looks, many hugged.

Doctor spoke to me, “You are perfectly alright Rajeev. You just recovered. You will be fine in a week’s time”

“Thank you Doctor” I spoke. The doctor patted me on my head, and left the place smiling. I gained my senses. I was in hospital again with bandages all over my head.

One of Deepthi’s relatives said, “God heard us”

Yes, God did hear you and he heard me too I thought.

Deepthi was standing beside me. Tears rolled down her cheek and it landed on my lips. That tasted honey. Yes she is always sweet. Sweet forever, because she is mine.

She bent down and kissed me on my forehead and said, “I know I won’t lose you”

I smiled and as she bent down, I took her hands into mine and kissed her on her cheeks and said, “I love you dear. You are mine”

●●●

Epilogue

As I completed writing the story for the day, I saved the word document and mailed a copy of it to my external mail. I was about to leave, just then I got a call in my mobile. The mobile phone flashed DIVYA CALLING

“Hello dear, is that over?” It was Divya.

“Yes, I completed writing our story. It has come out well. I’ll show you the content after our dinner. Read it and tell me how it is. I’ve changed your name to Deepthi from Divya” I replied

“Is it? No problem dear. As long it is our story, I’m fine with it” She said.

“Hey, dinner.” I reminded her.

Sure, I’ll be waiting for you outside the cafeteria at 7.00 PM, come and pick me up, we’ll do some shopping and go for dinner” She told.

“Yea I’m leaving right away. I love you so much dear”

“I too….” The call ended.

I saved the copy of the story in a folder and walked towards the exit.

It was exam time and exam time meant studies. It also meant that a much needed break from studies was just around the corner. It is for this break that every student studies.

“…just a few days more and then I’ll go back home and enjoy.!” thought Prateek while studying for the last examination.

But as every student does, he felt asleep, just to wake up after 3 hrs to know that he was suffering from fever.

“Bhai, lets go see a doc.!” Rahul, his roommate observed.

They went to a doctor. There they diagnosed the illness as tonsils and some infection. The medicines were issued and were taken as per the recommendation. But, then, he felt nothing more than some temporary relief.

So, he went again and this time the doctor diagnosed Steven Johnson Syndrome.

It meant he was allergic to certain drugs. He suddenly remembered his mother, who was also suffering from the same illness.

And he smiled, dialed his mother’s number and when he heard..

“Hello Beta!”

He said,” Mother, I’m like you.”

PS: This post is dedicated to all the Steven Johnson Syndrome suffers and to my mother who is one of them.

PS:rock on !!!

“Munna, I do not do it deliberately, I love them so much and since they didn’t love me as much they did two days back. I’m still showing my affection towards them.”

“But ma do you remember what did they do to you? The left you in oldage home and they took all your property. They took the land which you possessed to be given to your son after his marriage. They forcefully transferred the land to their name. But you still love them”

“Beta, I understand all that, but after all they are my blood. He is my brother whom I had taken care of from his childhood. How can I ignore him?”

“That is fine but what about my aunt? Why are you doing very small things to her, when she hasn’t even cared for you two days back? She hasn’t even turned a single stone straight up. But yesterday you have shut the curtain in her room, adjusted the picture which was hanging on the wall straight so that it looks in neat. Why? Why all this?”

“Beta, you do not understand. You are still tender and immature by heart. You do not see things clearly. You need to wait and understand yourself”

“But ma, this is your house. They have usurped it from you. And you still stay here as a maidservant. I hate this to the core”

“Give me one more chance, I’ll show it to you and you will understand everything”

“Ok. Do whatever you want. But let me tell you something. You are not doing the right things, they do not deserve such fondness from you”

The mother gave a wry smile and saw her brother coming into the drawing hall. He was very tired after his day’s work. He sat on the sofa and switched on the TV.

●●●

Radhika entered the house late at night, went to her room and quickly changed to her night dress. She saw Suman sitting in the sofa and staring at the TV very thoughtfully. She went near him and gently stroked his forehead and asked.

“It seems you are in a deep thinking about me”, she enquired

“Yes. I’m thinking about you only”, replied Suman

“So sweet…..” saying this she neared him and was about to give a tight hug, just then he blocked her hug with his hand and looked at her.

“You shouldn’t have been so rude to my sister. You know how much she loved both of us?”

“Arrey, what’s wrong with you now? Why are you taking up her topic. I’ve been already hurt by heart for the past 2 days. Today you are again bringing up this topic.”

“Please Radhika understand. I know the incidents which are happening for the past two days. But I can’t just accept the way you behave with my sister”

Radhika frowned at her husband’s expression and fired back, “You never know what mental agony I’m into. You have witnessed what happened yesterday in my bedroom. Don’t you understand that? I need some comfort not scorching words towards me”

She understood that he is not in a mood to listen to her. She quickly hurried way to her bedroom leaving him in the drawing hall with the TV

Suman thought, she was not the one, with whom he fell in love, a year back. I was in love with her, but she was not in love with me but with my money. I was mad on her beauty, but she was mad on my richness. I never felt this before, I was blind in love or my love was blind. I could see that she was not in good terms with my sister from the day one we came into this house. For past two days she has been into great trauma. But why did she do this to my sister?

●●●

“But mom, this isn’t fair and please don’t involve me in such things. Im not ready to do anythingfor her. I can’t….”

“Beta, look Radhika is coming”

“Ok do whatever you want!”

Radhika entered her bedroom. It was dark and the night lamp was the only source of light illuminating the room. She sat in the bed and did not want to see things which happened last night. Just then she was about to adjust the pillow, the chair in front of the dressing table moved without any support. It appeared as if someone was pulling it near the bed. But no one was seen around.

Radhika was petrified.

Suman could hear someone screaming from the bedroom above the stairs. He very well knew that it belonged to her wife. He picked up the telephone which was placed in the centre of the tea table and dialed to his family lawyer, without any second thoughts.

“Mr. Arora, we are planning to sell the house, please meet me tomorrow morning with the documents. I’ll sign right away” said Suman calmly.

“Suman, but why now? You wanted to stay…”

“Please do not ask anything now. I’ve decided to sell it. We are moving to our flat in our native. Please get ready with the documents. We would like to get away with this damn house.” Suman completed the sentence in a single breath and placed the receiver in the phone.

He reached the bedroom to find his wife horror struck and sitting in the corner of the room. He went near her and said, “Rahika, we are leaving tomorrow as your wish. We are not staying anymore here in this house. And you will not be subjected to such incidents happening around you. I love you so much and my sister too. ”

Radhika was still, unable to come out of the shock which she had countered and it’s been like this for the past two days, after her sister-in-law died day before yesterday due to the cardiac arrest with stress due to the extreme mental torture which she has been subjected to by Radhika, which killed not only her sister-in-law but also her only son who hung himself not withstanding her mom’s death.

●●●

“Mom now I understand why are you doing this to her. At last they are leaving now. I never knew you can do this. I was wondering how people simply deceive others and stay happily. I was afraid that they will live happily in our house forever. But with this, they are moving, movng away from our very own house.”

“Yes munna, our work ends here. I’ve done my part. Come on let us too leave. We have our own places to stay, not here from now on.”

A barely visible wisp of air ascended the sky from the room towards the window pane. The bright white curtains swayed in air as the gush of air escaped out of the window

~The End~

last saturday mornin : “buzz……..buzz…….” , vibrated my fone, to tell me tat i’ve a new TEXT MESSAGE…. i opened it, tellin myself “sheeeesh……not de usual frwrd again…. ” But it waasn’t a frwrd….was a msg frm one of my close comrades,named Bharat Menon…..it said “macha…..wt plans todai ? ” i replied sayin ” nothin……nothin worthwhile “……a few mins l8r he called me to moggapair to play cric n tat ter wer 9 of them already…….wel ….tis wasn’t new to me coz he’s been forcin me fr de last couple of months to come over to his place to play……but mogappair bein toooo far, i was reluctant n neglected his offer so many many times……..but tis time he forced me n he said it’s a TOURNAMENT wid a CASH PRIZE to be won……tis actualli seemed interestin to me n i agreed to come, keepin in mind de followin few reasons…

1)it would help me reduce weight widout my knowledge [atleast a wee bit ]

2)de fun part, in it

3)n most important, de cash prize….

well ppl, it doesn mean tat i’m an ace cricketer……i jus can’t play cricket fr nuts:)…….it ain’t my piece of a game….but somethin inside me said we’d win de tournament fr sure, fr all my frends ter, were in de college team……….n it was de CASH PRIZE which mattered to me de most .. i told amma tat tis aftrnoon,aftr lunch, am goin to mogappair to bharats’ TO PLAY A cricket TOURNAMENT…… mom was all de more happy…..of course she doesn like me sittin idle in front of de comp…….. had LIL lunch, keepin in mind tat i’d have to run around many kms while battin fieldin bowlin n all…….n i was all de more excited abt de CASH PRIZE…..

i walked my way to STERLING ROAD caught a share auto n msged bharat “strted bro!” n i strted listenin to songs n he replied within a few mins, “come fast…..don be late nut!”…..boy oh boy… he sounded pissed then……..as i was listenin to songs, all of a sudden a thought flashed in my mind……..wer is dis ground we’re gonna play n whom r we gonna face tis TOURNAMENT n wats abt de cash prize ???…….why din i even enquire abt tis b4……..i quickly took my fone n buzzed him askin where was tis ground wer we are supposed to play ………he replied ” first come fast idiot…..! we r gonna start in some time now…..u join in wen u come !!”…how mean……sheeeesh….he seriously was pissed then!!!! i din text him a reply !!! i got down at d.a.v. school, mogappair, n walked my way to his house, jus behind de school….wen i found his house frm a distance i could see a couple of my bus mates wavin out to me, frm de terrace……. i thot to myself, “y r these fools still there……arent we goin to de ground…?”…..then i convinced myself sayin tat, the TERRACE perhaps is de assembly spot fr all of us b4 we get goin to de ground……wid all tis mixed thots in my mind, i waved back to my friends ter……frm wat i could remember, it was anish n gautham wavin out to me……. i reached de apartment, n strted climbin de flight of stairs….aaaaargh…..i jus hate climbin stairs……..even though ter wer onli 2 floors in all…. … alas……aftr a few mins i was infront of de door which opened to de terrace where all de PLAYERS fr de evenin were ……i opened de door n was shocked to see de silly idiots, de so called PLAYERS, playin here widout any seriousness……my eyes fell on mir, paul, veera, sathya,sanjiv n aakshad b4 my eyes met bharat’s……he was seated on de water tank, up above my head……i shouted to him, “idiot !!!! y de hell r u sittin ter ……aren’t we gettin late fr de tournament…. ?” he replied ” tats wat we’re playin here dumbo…….!!! ” i was perplexed…….he continued,” naveen is ur team mate….u’d be facin us aftr tis match…..” i found naveen at de back part of de terrace puttin de AUTHENTIC KADALAI over fone, if i ain’t wrong…..:) sheeeesh…..

it actualli took me time to understand wat tis whole TOURNAMENT was all about…….10 fellas, split in2 5 teams, split in2 two pools n all……..omg !!! i sure was JAW DROPPED !!! it was a game to be played in a mere 1100 sq.ft. terrace rather than a ground…it had de ONE PITCH ONE HAND CATCHES wid no running runs……. de worst rule said “if u hit de ball out of de 1100 sq.ft. boundary, ur OUT !!!” n de worst part here is, de fella who hits it out is supposed to fetch it !!!! drat !!!! n last but not least……de CASH PRIZE [sheeeeesh....]which bought me all de way to mogappair from chetpet was worth FIFTY RUPEES !!! wouldn even last me to get me bak home comfortably wen split among de two of us, in de team!!!! readers, jus imagine my plight !!!!! TIS SURELY SHOWS DE HEIGHTS OF IMAGINATION N HEIGHTS OF DISAPPOINTMENT ….. but actualli, i enjoyed de game………no runnin while payin…….tis is wat impressed me de most……hehehehe…….liked it loads n to my surprise i won de 50 rupees, de first time……yipppeeeeee……..n now everyday, for de past five days, i’ve been leavin my place by 2.30 p.m. n returnin by 9.00 in de night, aftr a happy happy game wid loadsa fun …… omg……its time fr me to leave again to mogappair now……see u guys soon in my next blog…… tc !!!!

I have been hearing about this book for a long time. I was trying to get my hands on it, but to no avail. This Onam exhibition as I was walking through the stalls I came across a book stall. I was just browsing through when my eyes fell on this book. I grabbed it with both my hands. Thus my dream for some time had been fulfilled even though I had to put away buying some other things I had planned for the day.
It is a Malayalam book written by K.S. Aniyan on the incidents that happened in the life of Dr. V.P. Gangadharan. He is an oncologist working with the Cancer patients. The stories in the book are enough to melt the heart of even the cold blooded. I don’t have any copyright for the thing. But since I believe this story is going to touch anyone who stumbles on my blog, I am compelled to write.
The name of the book is ‘Miracle called life’. I am just translating story here. May be I would rather say it is an abridged version.

No matter how much pain a man has been through, he will be very reluctant to leave his life. He tries to hold on to his last thread of life as his time comes. May be this world is too beautiful to leave.
But it was the first time the doctor was witnessing such a situation. As Sophiya is entering her last days she is smiling more and more. She had a cancer no woman wanted to have- breast cancer. Removing a woman’s breast was like removing her womanhood. But here he is standing perplexed. Because normally he is meant to comfort her. But here she is lying on her bed with a smile and asking for her best friend, Sunandha. Her husband was staring in to the lake through the window with no emotion on his face. That man perplexed the doctor more.
‘Even he is getting bored of this place’, she said.

When she was brought to him cancer had entered in to the most advanced stages. A wound had opened up in the breasts and worms were wriggling in the pus that oozed out. He was shocked. She has been suffering all this pain silently.
‘Didn’t u feel like coming here earlier?’, he asked a bit shocked and a bit angry.
‘Doctor, she didn’t tell anybody about this. We found out when we went for a visit.’ The nuns who brought her here told him.

What were these nuns doing here? Why she is suffering all this as if she is enjoying the extreme pain. The husband who is staring listlessly, unmindful of the happenings around him, not knowing that his wife had a breast with pus oozing out. Doctor could not draw a clear picture out of this story. He was eager to weave together these mysterious threads.

 
One day as he reached the room during his routine rounds, he heard a crying. He saw woman crying over Sophiya. That was Sunandha, Sophiya’s best friend and someone the doctor wanted to meet. And it was she who unfolded the clear picture of Sophiya’s life story.
‘Sophiya was brought up by nuns in a catholic run orphanage.‘

‘Although she was an orphan, she was talented and very beautiful’

‘Sophiya….beautiful???’ he could not visualize this human skeleton as ‘once up on a time..Beauty-queen’.

‘When she was married off to a well off family everyone felt happy for her. At last she is getting a secure future and a family to call her own. But she had been cheated. The family didn’t reveal that their boy was a mad man.’

‘But it was his brothers who became mad due to lust when they saw her. They dreamt about having sex with the wife of their retarded brother. One day one of the brothers beat her for refusing to sleep with him. Hearing the sound Sophiya’s husband came. The retard started beating her up, hearing the lies of his brother. This became a daily routine. Either let her brother in laws fuck her or get beaten by her husband. The beauty of hers became her curse’

Now the fog lifted. Everything became clear. She is suffering all the pain to destroy her body, destroy her greatest curse. She is smiling because from now on no one will have a lust for her, no one will want to take off her chastity. She had prevailed over all the flesh eaters who wanted her body.

The husband sat in the corridor staring into nothing.

(The story is titled as ‘Smile of fire’. The way I wrote this story won’t come even come close to the real one. So if you get the book don’t think twice. Grab it. And remember this is not a fiction a real life story

I could not understand this quote until I met her. Yes! There is death because love gives you a new life. I too got a new life, a life full of love and full of wish to live till eternity. I remember when she first entered in class and I, sitting with my back bencher friends was looking so vigorously. I would not say that it was love in first sight but still it was something I never felt in my whole life.

Time passed. My heart got strong to convince me that I was in love with her. My eyes, who were so obsessed with her image were witness. My mind which always remained occupied with her thoughts was another witness. Realizing the sensitivity of my being and strong convincing facts provided by witnesses, I got the final verdict from my heart that I was in love.

“I am in love… But does she like me? Would she love me?”

These were questions that were pinching and trying to bleed my heart. More often, to cover our weaknesses we turn into philosophy. I became a  philosopher. I was happy realizing that love is a state; it need not be mutual; at least nature has given us freedom to love anyone and this is the best gift to mankind.

I saw her when she looked away. I still don’t know why I was not able to see directly in her dark expressive eyes. May be , I was afraid of me; I was afraid of the word ‘love’; I was afraid of rejection.

Finally the day came, we were in farewell party. She looked stunning. But a subtle layer of melancholy was in her face. My heart was beating fast; I could not imagine how I would live without seeing her. I thought that I should express my love to her. But fate had some other things to do; I heard that one of my friends had already proposed her. I was dumbstruck I did not ask what she did. I left the college and tried everything to blot her out from my mind.

Five years passed. I got selected in IIT-JEE and got a good job. I had to visit my native place. I got in the train. I was reading the news-paper. Suddenly, I got shocked on my fate to see her, sitting in front of me. I wiped my eyes many times as I was not sure it was mere my imagination or a reality.She was looking more beautiful in her red Sari. I was very familiar with her dark expressive eyes and it was reality. How could I forget those eyes which were once mirror of my love?

Oh, what was that…She had a mangalsutra around her neck…I was shocked…

“How longer have you been married?”

This was the first question, I ever asked to her in my whole life.

“Oh, you remember me. I thought you would have forgotten me. “

“Two years! You know, Rahul, he is my husband.”

“Oh, it’s great. You had better invite me. I would not have missed it. “

“Really, I never knew you would have so much time to come to my wedding. You were so busy in school days that you got no time to talk to us. But anyways, I would like to invite on my son’s birthday, would you like to come? “

“It’s my pleasure. I would love it. Oh, I really did not expect that you would have son too.”

“Tell me what are you doing? When is your training going to start? “

I was dumb struck how did she know about my training. I even did not tell her about my education or job.

“Training..? It would start from December in Pune. By the way how do you know about this?”

“Everyone is not like you. We have some time for friends too. “

“Friend”… I was like in heaven when she called me friend.

“Friend…? “

“Oh, I am not in a level to be your friend.”

“Please…don’t say this…really! You see me as a friend.”

Silence…there was a pin drop silence…

…This was silence before the storm…

Storm came. It rained. Salty water trickled through the corner of her eyes… moistened her rosy face…she did not speak a word…but her eyes spoke a lot… I could see what I had lost in the tears of her eyes… we got off the train but I am still in the train of her thoughts…

Being a perfect person means that a person owns absolutely no kind of flaws in his soul and personality.However ,for humans like us ,this is not at all possible because we tend to give in to certain aspects of today’s world.

Backbiting is one such aspect which most of us do willingly or unwillingly.Discussing about an absent third absent negatively with others is a common habit among all but more so among women.

This is not to imply ,in any way ,that backbiting about others is exclusively a women’s domain.At offices ,coffee shops ,restaurants & especially in apartments it is common to see people engaged in animated discussions or comical fun-making of others ,discussing details about incidents in the latter’s lives.

But people fail to realise that these kind of backbitings may apparently look insignificantly small ,but they have long-lasting and widespread effects on someone’s life.

PLOT : “After the sucide of a wife in an apartment ,a series of mysterious death occurs in the same apartment leaving the cops baffled.A police officer is determined to unravel his suspicion about the wife’s suicide ,his ex-lover , which he thinks is connected to all the deaths.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Director Shankar has produced this well crafted thriller ,resurrecting the hope that all’s not lost in Tamil cinema.Kudos for him in producing these kinda films ,serving as a benchmark & thereby bringing out some quality content.

Directed by debutant Arivazhagan ,Eeram’s strength is it’s script which has been dealt with an unique approach forming the crux of the film.The film sustain’s its suspense throughout ,making it even more enjoyable & at the sametime providing pondering points to the audience.

The casting of the movie has proved to be its major pillar ,supporting it in an astute manner.The main characters are played by Aadhi ,Nanda & Sindhu Menon who fit perfectly in the film.Other supported characters have also played their part well & Saranya Mohan excels with a mature act.

Sindhu Menon lives her role as an obedient housewife caught in the web of suspicion due to the acts of her neighbours who malign her reputation in the apartment.Nanda has greatly impressed one & all with his portyal of a husband torn apart due to his sarcastic behaviour.Aadhi weaves a fresh lease of life into a cop’s role ,with a power packed performance ,he surely is the show stealer.

The film depicts the fact about how some people’s nasty remarks about others eats into the latter’s reputation thereby ruining their social relationships and makes them more enemies than friends.

I especially liked the chemistry between Aadhi & Sindhu Menon ,expressing their admirations for each other in a cute but conventional manner.Whenever these two are on screen the film breezes past with ease.

Eeram means wet or dampness ,the film too has a damp effect to it which has been handled & picturised effectively by Manoj Paramahansa.

The editing done by Kisore Te gives the viewer’s a pounding heart during some moments of the film but however the entire film was taken in subtle but compelling manner.

Music director Thaman takes the film to a level of awe which creates a sublime ambience for the film.The songs are a treat to the ears without halting the pace of the film.Kollywood surely has found yet another potential musical talent.

The genre of crime thriller has found its way back into Kollywood with an effective presentation.Eeram is sure to make an impact on the audience on the perils of backbitting & suspicion in a person’s life.

Go for it & get haunted by Eeram.

• Director : Arivazhagan

• Writer : Arivazhagan

• Cast : Aadhi , Nanda , Sindhu Menon , Saranya Mohan

• Rating : “PG” for horror content.

P.S : ” I tried avoiding as much spoilers i could but watch the movie without hearing the story from anyone so that you could enjoy the film to the max. “