This Kamakshi Amman Temple in Chetty Street in the neighbourhood of Saidapet, is 300 years old. The presiding deity is the goddess Kamakshi. She is also known as Tripura Sundari Rajarajeshwari, Shodashi and Lalita. said the Priest to Agastya. Agastya took prasada ( god's offering ) from him. He gave a piece of it to Angayar. They both walked to the stone mandapam - a high rise table with pillars and roof with carvings and sculptures of deities and nymphs. They sat in the mandapam. "Agastya you still looked worried don't worry Dengue is not fatal. She is in the safe hands, above all there is the divine hand of Kamakshi Amma." Said Angayar.
Agastya: Thanks Aunty for accompanying me to Kamakshi Amman Temple.
Angayar : I came here for your mother not for you. Any way why do you call me aunty?
Agastya: It is my mother's habit that is passed on to me. I heard your name from my mother even before I came to Chennai. So if you have any complaints tell my mother. Agastya laughed.
Angayar : Can you call me sister.
Agastya: NO, I can't
Angayar: Why?
Agastya: It won't look nice to call you sister, I am nearing twenty and you are thirty five.
Angayar laughed and said , "Thank you for giving me clarity."
Agastya : I thank Kamakshi Amma. Hey Universal mother give my mother health. She is your staunch devotee. My mother's sickness gave me clarity about my mother's life. I thank you Kamakshi Amma.
Angayar : Agastya, Your mother is innocent lady. She never does anything furtively, You could not understand her until she is admitted in the hospital.
Agastya : Yes madam , I could not understand I agree, but where is the chance. After 5 years I have an opportunity to meet and stay with her. My mother's life is conjectural.
Angayar moved close to Agastya and kissed him. Poor boy! I pity you. Your childhood went in troubles. but your youth and future will be colourful. Why did you call me madam?
Agastya: because you don't like to be called aunt.
Angayar: That was sometime ago. Now it is ok. You can call me aunt. It sounds very melodious. what were you doing during the summer holidays?
Agastya: She used to see me in Visakha every month. When I am accustomed to hostel life, she used to come once in two months. We also have relatives in Sampath agar. She used to come and spend a few days at their home. I never visited my father so far.
Angayar : This Chennai trip is a plethora of opportunities, to see understand your mother and her struggle and to know your Ancestors, I mean your great grandfather and his family.
Agastya : Are we going to take me to Tanjavur? I have seen them in photo album at home.
Angayar: Stupid boy! How can you go there while your mother is in hospital. We must go to hospital before evening. Your mother has asked me to show you this temple because this is the first temple she came with her husband. She prayed to Goddess to give her a son. She got you. Agastya's eyes became wet.
Angayar continued " I am taking you to Dakshinachitra. She wanted you to see that.
"I don't like to see museums but for my mother ...." said Agastya.
It is your mother's wish. said Angayar. Agastya did not speak.
"Let's go! said Angayar. They came out of the temple and walked to the temple pond .
Sitting on the stone steps of the pond sat close to water. Agastya looked around. It was a large pond. There was a wall built around the pond. From there they could see the temple towers around. The sun is shining on the Kamakshi Amma temple tower.
"The glorious lamp of heaven on eastern hill
spreading his victorious rays stands still ,
morning blooms like a flower of hope
let my mother soon with ill-health cope"
Agastya's heart sang a verse.
Angayar appreciated his verse. They walked up to the taxi waiting at the street end. They got into the Taxi and and the taxi moved through the narrow chetti street. The cement street has houses on either side. It looked like train compartment full of political banners. The taxi entered Alandur road and via Saidapet metro it is going towards Annasalai and Palavakam. The musuem is 25 kilometers from saidapet. It is a 45 minute ride. Angayar sat relaxed beside Agastya. Agastya is a bit tense about his aunt sitting beside him. Angayar took him for a boy! She sat so close to him.
Ummm! you are a poet like your friend Bharatavarsha. said Angayar.
Agastya laughed and said " I am a poet's friend, not a poet."
Poet's friends a poet , like thief's friend is a thief.
Agastya : laughed again. Angayar mocked him with a grin " hee.. hee... hee and continued "Your plan was to go back with Bharatavarsha , right?
Yes, I just want to see my mother but my plan was to go back with him the next day.
Then why did you stay so many days?
I stayed here for my mother
No , You stayed for Ragini.
No.. I stayed here for my mother.
Don't bluff, look at the photos . She showed his pictures with medicos in the hostel walking behind Ragini. talking to Kani. Agastya was bewildered. He was at his wits end. How is this possible. Are you a witch or a spy? he asked with a fading voice and faint face.
Angayar laughed and laughed and said " The mystery reveals on its own"
My mother should have told me everything on the first day. She too kept the mystery. You are her friend. You are no different. said Agastya.
"Had your mother told you then, you would not have believed her. Everything has a time." said Angayar. Agastya remained silent. The taxi was crossing Madhya Kailash temple.
***
The taxi reached Muttukadu on the East Coast Road connecting Chennai and Pondicherry. The site overlooks Bay of Bengal. Agastya looked at his watch. It was 10.30. Agnayar asked the Taxi to wait. They both walked in.
Agastya: There were a dozen visitors.
Angayar : Just now the museum is open. The visitors are coming slowly. The museum is open between 10.00 AM and 5.00 PM.
Agastya: Why should we worry about the visitors? I casually counted the visitors.
Angayar: It is a great place! slowly you will understand everything.
Agastya : I don't attach its value to the visitors. A great work of art has its own value. It can not be measured based on the visitors. Perhaps its value is immeasurable!
Angayar was seemingly on cloud nine. She said " Dakshinachitra Museum, is the living-history museums in India. It manifests the culture and history of South India. Said Angayar while entering the museum.
Agastya: Come on aunty. Don't strain yourself. Let us have a quick round and go back to the hospital. When Agastya finished and enthusiastic visitor who came with his family said to Agastya " No, my dear young boy, You ca not take it lightly.
Angayar: well said sir. Agastya looked like he was caught between scylla and charybdis.
Visitor: This museum is not watching pictures on the walls. They recreated the famous houses of the four south Indian states , literally they have built the houses in forty acres. It stores in itself great works of architecture, crafts and lifestyles that belong to South India. The heritage museum is home to 4,220 artefacts and 1,000,000 pictures. A visit to the museum gives an in-depth knowledge of south Indian heritage.
Agastya flew off the handle. He smiled sheepishly and said " I remember 17th century French writer Nicolas Chamfort.
Visitor: What did he say ?
Agastya told himself "Swallow a toad in the morning and you will encounter nothing more disgusting the rest of the day." but told them loudly " We should not take things lightly. Come on let us go in.
***
First they saw the Calicut house of Kerala .
Agastya: It looks like it is lifted from Kerala.
Visitor: It is lifted from Kerala, you are correct. This ancient house was in ruins they bought the ruins, and transported them to this place. With the help of experts imported from Calicut they got the house rebuilt.
They went walking visiting houses. Agastya's interest increased as he visited house after house. He touched the artefacts in each house and gingerly passed his hand on them.
Angayar and Agastya moved on. In a vast area several ancient houses of 17th, 18th and 19th century were built with meticulous care and craftsmanship. Building of each house, with all the artefacts certainly takes the same efforts of building Tajmahal. Each house is a living history!
Then they entered the Tamilanadu houses. The visitor also followed them with his family. Two museum personnel were there. The visitor enthusiastically asked them about the house
"This is the house Nattukottai Chettiars, a merchant community found scattered through the 76-80 remaining “Chettiar” villages in the present day Ramnad, Pudukottai and Sivaganga districts of Tamil Nadu." said one of them.
Have you bought this house from Pudukottai? asked Agastya.
Yes he replied. Angayar showed the opposite house and asked about it.
That is the house from Aryakudi village dated to 1895. The door and inner verandah, dating back to c.1900, are from a house in Kandanur village. "The outside columned verandah (Burmese teak) and the central courtyard have been authentically relocated and reconstructed.
Agastya : It feels like I am travelling through history on a time machine. The next thing they saw was something astonishing. Wow! what is this complex? exclaimed Agastya.
Visitor: It is not a complex it is Agraharam.
Angayar : An entire Agraharam was relocated from Tirunelveli
 |
| Tirunelveli Agraharam assembled in Museum |
It is like a dream walk to all of them. They sauntered up and down there. They went into every house in the Agraharam. They were literally transported into the past.
"I am very curious to know who lived in these houses?" said the visitor.
They must be some scholars to whom the kings usually presented Agraharas said his wife.
If their great grand children see these houses, how do they feel? asked the visitor.
They moved on to the next site. Agastya did not know that it would be the last site that prepares him for his return journey. From a distance when Agastya saw the house he felt dejavu - a feeling of he has already seen it some where. Angayar was watching Agastya's feelings. Agastya got into the house . His steps and breath slowed down. He remembered the pictures in his mother's Albus. The wooden pillars, the flooring and varanda and the doors flashed on his mind. " This is the house of a great prodigious scholar and illustrious architect Kankubhattu of 1580. This ruined Tanjavur house was brought here. It took twenty crores to bring the ruins safely and re build the entire house. This is the biggest house in the entire Museum.
Agastya fell on his knees and hugged the pillars. They he crawled to the steps of the Varanda and hid his face in his knees. He remembered his mother ailing in the hospital hardly having 20 thousand rupees in her bag. His eyes were raining tears.
***
The taxi exited the gated Compound of Dakshina Chitra and entered the East Coast road. It goes straight from Muttukudu to Greams Raod , a stretch of 29 kilometers. Agastya and Angayar are in the back seat. The taxi is new and is running smoothly on the two way East Coast road towards Thoriapakkam. Agastya's eyes are still oozing tears. Angayar patted his back. Suddenly black clouds covered the sky making the bright sun pale. It started raining. The trees on either side of the road began swaying heads. The weather became wet. Big rain drops started hitting the windshield. The driver turned on the wipers. The rain perfectly captures the mood of Agastya – dreary depression. The driver turned on the radio. There was a flow of melancholy that inundates the hearts.
Am'ma eṉṟaḻaikkata uyirillaiye… am'mavai vaṇankadu uyarvillaiye… am'ma eṉṟaḻaikkāta uyirillaiye… am'māvai vaṇaṅkādu uyarvillaiyē… neril niṉdṟu pecum teyvam… pedda tayandi verondu ēdu… Balu's voice sounds sounds sweetly. It is squeezing the hearts.
The driver was seemingly enjoying the song as he understands the meaning of the song. Without Amma there is nobody without Amma nobody grows. Without Amma there is nothing
Agnayar too understood the song and its meaning. She knows that the plaintive tone aggravates Agastya's mood. "Vappa Nee indap paatalai anaittuvidu"( Oh hear, stop the song) Aggayar said to the driver.
Driver: It is the song from 1992 Tamil film Mannan on the greatness of mother sung in plaintive tone by Balasubramanyam. Ilyaraja the musician excels in expressing mother's love through music. My heart beats for mother. She is sick I am working hard to earn money to get her treated. It inspires me. Angayar demanded that he should stop the song. Agastya cut in and said " Please continue the song. I too want to listen."
when the car crossed Thoriapakkam the rain slowed down. Then Agastya said "As professor Longfellow said "Into each life some rain must fall." Angayar was trying to understand the preternatural phrases. Agastya said a stanza from Professor Longfellow's Rainy day.
Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary …
Until the car reached Greams road nobody spoke words. The car was silent except for the music of the pitta pattering raindrops on its roof. When the car stopped at the Apollo hospital Agastya was fast asleep on Angayar's shoulder. As E.M. Forster has explicitly shown in this novel A passage to India that the human relationships collapse if the intrinsic quality of imagination, feeling and understanding is absent. Angayar has all the three.
***
Meenakshi is lying unconscious on the bed in the special room. There is a bedside table with two chairs. She has two fresh white pillows under her head and a blue sheet is covered over her body up to the waist. A drip was given to her left hand. Agastya and Angayar are standing at the bed. They were waiting for the doctor. After a few minutes a nurse came in and announced that the doctor is coming. "What is the patient's position?" asked Agastya. " I don't know you ask the doctor. Just then an old lady in 60s came in with basket of fruits. She placed them on the bedside table. Agastya did not know who she was and why she brought the fruits. She took the nurse to the large window and started whispering in her ear. The doctor came in he was trying to wake Meenakshi up. Madam... Madam.. the nurse was shaking Meenakshi. Meenakshi opened her eyes and saw Angayar and Agastya. Angayar was communicating with eyes that she had taken Agastya to Dakshinachitra. A smile bloomed on her lips. Meenakshi wanted to speak something to Agastya but she had difficulty in breathing. Agastya said " Amma , be comfortable I have seen everything and I will see everything" The nurse checked the temperature and said she had 102 F temperature. The doctor checked the BP and said "It is severe hypertension with BP of 150/120"
Agastya was puzzled and said " Doctor ! What is her condition? Will she be alright?"
Don't worry Dengue fever causes a high fever with 104 F temperature. symptoms like Headache joint pain, nausea, vomiting, rash are common. Fortunately her temperature is going down. Last night she had 104 F. Now she has 102 F. I will give paracetamol injection the fever will be controlled. We give medicines for BP control. Already drip is given.
Angayar: Is there any life risk, doctor? We heard many bad things about Dengue!
Doctor: Dengue is rarely life threatening. Take very high fluids in large amounts, drink more water, take fruit juice, coconut water, etc. Take soft easily digestive fluid food.
Agastya: Sure sir
Doctor: She has to take complete bed rest. She has to stay here from minimum 3 days upto a week. She has difficulty in breathing. A ventilator may be required.
Agastya: Whatever you say sir!!
The doctor was about t go but turned back one more thing.
Agastya's blood pressure raised. " Yes sir" He said.
If the platelet count falls down we have to buy three to four units.
"Yes sir." said Agastya.
When the doctor left, the nurse began telling " Ventilator costs 6 thousand a day. One unit of platelets costs 18,000 besides. Be fore the nurse finishes " Can I pay this evening? I have not gone home. " Till evening there is no problem." Agastya thanked the nurse and got out and walking in the corridor with Angayar.
Angayar : Agastya how can you arrange the money before evening. What is this audacity !
I will do something and get the money.
"This is not a movie, You are not a hero." She scolded.
Heroism comes from bravery. It is merely human and it is the necessity. humans took wings to fly merely to fulfil passion . I will take wings and fly from the swirling abyss of sorrow and save my mother. Before Angayar spoke the nurse came to them and said "The old lady told me that she is going to pay the bills, She also asked me to inform her relatives. I think you are the relatives of the patient. They both did not know what to answer but the nurse did not have time to wait for their answer. She went away. They both kept looking at the nurse.
***
MGM Hospital. Special Ward.
Senthil is lying on the bed. He has not had a single scratch on his body. He is looking at the ceiling. His eyes are fixed but vacant. They see nothing though they are kept open for a long time. He does not recognise any thing or any person. His friends Aravan and Perumal are beside him. Senthil's father Jambulingam is waiting for the doctor Sarabhalingam. He has brought along Dr. Bhootalingam a specilist and introduced him to Dr. jambulingam. " Meet doctor Bhootalingam from Arakkonam" he introduced him to doctor jambulingam.
Senthil's father Bhaktavatsalam folded his hands to Bhootalingam for two days my son is just lying like that. He is speechless. Doctor Sarabhalingam and Jambulingam brought the case sheet to doctor Bhootalingam and started explaining the patient's condition. After hearing everything Bhoothalingam was surprised " Do you believe that there ae ghosts and haunted houses in these days?
"enna achi ? what happened to you? " Bhootalingam asked Senthil.
enakku ethuvun teriyaadu. I don't know anything.
For two days this is the only phrase he is repeating please treat him well cried the father.
Shhhh this is hospital you should not cry. Bhootalingam scolded Bhaktavatsalam he turned to Senthil and asked him "How did it happen?"
"enakku ethuvun teriyaadu. I don't know anything." The same answer came from Senthil.
Oh Muruga , Muruga andai idi ! Our son became dumb like this! Cried Bhaktavatsalam
This is certainly the task of the ghost. O Ragini! How cruel you are you have asked my friend Senthil to visit the haunted house and send the picture. said Perumal.
"Poor fellow Senthil visited a haunted house and became a victim. He is frightened out of wits. Will he ever come out of the shock." cried Aravan.
"I don't believe in the existence of ghosts. The haunted houses are nonsense." said Jambulingam.
Bhootalingam: Too much fear can damage the central nervous system. As soon as you recognize fear, your amygdala (small organ in the middle of your brain) goes to work. It alerts your nervous system, which sets your body's fear response into motion. Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are released. Your blood pressure and heart rate increaes
Doctor how the central feverous system is recognise fear, unless there is one. And that one is a girl - strange and weird said Aravan. The doctors broke their lips. " We are doctors , we should not believe i ghosts"
"enakku ethuvun teriyaadu. I don't know anything." The same answer came from Senthil.
enakku teriyum, nee tuku ( I know. You sleep) said Perumal to Senthil and continued
There are haunted villages in India. Kuldhara village near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan is a haunted village. People abandoned the entire village. There are so may haunted places in Chennai where people don't dare to go. If you don't believe you may see the list of Haunted places. He opened the tab and showed the haunted places in Chennai.
Look at this colony De Monte. This colony is established by a Portuguese businessman De Mont. He lived an unhappy life with his mentally ill wife. His died under unknown circumstances. The entire colony does not have a single light and is definitely the spookiest among scary houses in Chennai.
Look at Wipro Technologies CDC5
The land on which Wipro is situated used to be a graveyard in the ’80s. End of discussion now. Zoom into the image and look under the street lamp. He showed the picture.
Security guards at the Wipro office have encountered several apparitions, have caught fever post the encounters and have thrown feats for 3-4 days continuously. Also, this one is an image shared by a commuter who happened to cross the road in one of those nights.
A finally this is F2 Building. Our friend Senthil visited this place the night before the Annual day on a bet with Ragini. This is amongst the most haunted houses in Chennai. So this house in Valmiki Nagar on Ambedkar Road is only 15 km from Chennai airport. It is owned by the father of a woman who committed suicide in the house itself. The abode has been haunted for 10 years since her death.
Spooky occurrence: The ghost of the daughter has been living in the house years after her death. She opens the house for the visitors after midnight and offers all the hospitality a guest is supposed to get.
Real life experience: Even Google marks this house as haunted on its map. People have actually, many times, heard a girl sobbing from the windows of the house. When they walk past, mobile signals stop and the screen starts to flicker.
When Perumal stopped explaining showing the photos. The three doctors faces were as pale as ghosts!
Now the demon has possessed him. He said showing Senthil
"enakku ethuvun teriyaadu. I don't know anything." Senthil repeated the same phrase.
What should we do now to save my son cried Bhaktavatsalam
Fulfil the demands of the ghost it'll go away! said Perumal and winked his eyes to Senthil. "enakku ethuvun teriyaadu. I don't know anything." Senthil repeated the same phrase. "Don't overact and betray the drama." Whispered Aravan in his ear.
***
Not far way from Nungambakkam in Chetan Tennis Academy near thousand lights Mount road Ragini was playing tennis. In the sprawling grounds of the academy on the green lawn Ragini Ponmoli and Kanmoli are standing in the tennis court with tennis rackets in their hands. Ragini is versed with the game but her friends dabbled into the sport recently. They never played a match
"Since you are playing a match for the first time let me tell you about the umpires (judges) and the scoring system." Mr. Armugam is explaining Ponmali the rules of the game and scoring system. "The the hands of a clock would be used to keep score. A player needs four points to win a game, the clock was divided into four quadrants- 15,30,45 and 60, the game. Tennis starts with both players at zero, called love: “Love-all.” One person scores: 15 to love.
What is the meaning of love all Ponmali asked Ragini.
I too don't know. It is baffling how love is taken for zero.
Armugam laughed " l'oeuf ( la oof) means the egg which means zero
the word la oof is pronounced as love that's all. clarified Armugam
That's amazing. said Raagini.
In big tournaments we have chair umpire , the line umpire and the referee but today I am all the three he said and laughed. " Kani laughed and said " You are ?"
"I am Armugam a professional player and a writer." Armugam stretched his hand, Kani too stretched her hand. Armugam shook Kani's hand. The touch was a bit different. Kani looked at him. He was caught looking at her breast.
Ragini stood vis a vis Kani. They are standing close on either side of the net with rackets in their hands. "He is leering at you." said Kani to Ragini. Ragini smiled and said " Let him. "who was going to serve?" Ragini is wearing a pink three fourth and a sky blue t-shirt. She has tied her long hair and tucked behind her neck into the collar of the t-shirt. Kani is wearing a track and red t shirt. Armugam gazed at them from his chair and called for the service. Ragini smiled at him and served. The play began. Ragini scored 15, 30, 45 , Deuce shouted Armugam. Ragini made two successive points and won the game. Later she played with Ponmoli and won the match.
The game is over Armugam went to the net. Ragini and ponmoli were standing. He asked Ragini to play a match with him. Ragini " Why don't we play doubles?" Kani and I one team Poni and you the other." suggested Ragini. I want to play with you singles." said Armugam.
Ragini agreed to his proposal. The match began. Ragini went back and bent low. She was ready to lift the ball expecting a good serve from Armugam. Armugam served first. The ball hit the net. Ragini smiled. She understood where he focus was. Agmugam had second serve. It was too loose. Ragini went for a shot. Agmugam dropped it at the net. Ragini who was in the back came running to the net and dropped it in the opposite court. Armugam played it a shot and Ragini had to run back. Armugam repeated the same to get most viewing pleasure.
Ragini won the match. Armugam was happy and came close and congratulated by shaking her hand. Ragini , Ponmoli and Kanmoli left the Academy.
Have you got relaxed ? Poni asked Ragini. " The stress has not gone yet. Somewhat" said Ragini. "I know what you want let us go to Mc Donalds." suggested Kanimoli.
"Let us go home. My house is just four kilometers from here besides you never came to my house said Ragini. " But what about your mother?" asked Kani. Ragini laughed and said "She went to Tenali her mother's health is bad.
***
The taxi stopped in front of a beautiful Duplex house near Devi theatre. "It is very close to our college just one kilometer." said Ragini getting down from the taxi. Kani and poni also got down, Ragini paid for the taxi. The taxi left. Ragini opened the gate. As they walked in they saw Ford Eco Sport black car. Ragini opened the door and invited them to her room. She took them straight to her room. They sat at the dining table. Ragini served the beer into glasses while polmali was watching the surroundings through the window of the bedroom.
The area is quite clam. A flow of breeze came in. Awave of music came floating with the breeze. Wow! wonderful! said Ponimali. Kani also became curious. Ragini said " The building that you see there is Trinity music college. This is the time for their music classes." concluded Ragini. The three started with cheers. Ragini took a sip and pulled out her hair from the t shirt. The hair was so long. Kani and Poni are amazed! " You are good at keeping secrets!" said Poni. " " we don't know your house. we don't know that you have a car." said Kani. "My mother is very disciplined. She doesn't give me car. She hasn't had a driver. She doesn't believe men. She is different" said Ragini. You too are different, you hide things" said Kani "Yes I have hidden my tension like I have hidden my hair"
Kani: Tension! for you?
Ponmoli : Why do you play with men and then worry. I noticed at the tennis academy that Armugam was leering at you. He gazed at my breast and pressed my hand differently. He groped your body with his eyes. You know why he lost the game? His focus is elsewhere!
Ha hha hhaa hhaa ... chortled Ragini. " I am amused by your words, In fact I got rid of some stress with your reminding that episode. She put her hand in her bra and pulled out a small piece of paper. "He writes romantic poems on me. This is the poem he wrote."
Poni and kani were shocked. When did he give you this piece of paper?" they exclaimed
While shaking my hand. said Ragini and emptied the glass. Kani and poni too.
She served another round. Aren't you bothered by his looks? they asked Ragini.
A worthy man's looks gives a woman an increased feeling of self-worth, They work like tonic Said Ragini. "However delicious they may be between the pages of their books in real life they are obtuse yokels , who are dead up the neck" said Ponimoli.
Ragini: Intellect is seductive and is equally eager to be seduced. Women are drawn to intelligent men. Look at Noble prize winner Hemingway his life was about honing his art of writing and gaining popularity. A serial womaniser, each time he got bored with his wife, he sought out a new attachment while still married.
Ponmoli: Did people not hate him?
A man must be a very great genius to make up for being such a loathsome human being
Let us see how intelligent is this writer. said Kani and opened the piece of paper from Ragini's hands on which a poem is written.
My heart beats faster
your looks serve as booster
a rhythm passes into my belly
demands a play in woman's velley
It wakes up the insurgent
The game I know is urgent
I here play tennis
I can not go to Venice
Ragini laughed. Kani and poni were surprsed. "When Kings are honoured with such verses in olden days they used to shower pearls on the poets. Now the queen is showering smiles." Said Ragini.
Kani: So your tension has gone!
Ragini: This afternoon I have seen a police officer entering the campus. Off course he is not in uniform. This means the investigation started.
Ponmali: It started a week ago , now the investigation reached our college.
Kani : Police have no right to enter the medical college campus!
Ragini: Who said the police have no right to enter college campus. They can enter any campus and arrest anyone under their jurisdiction if they have sufficient grounds. But it is a tradition that they don't arrest students from the campus. They show reverence to the heads of the institutions and talk to them first.
Kani: You mean they have come to arrest.....
Poni: Why do you bother if they come to campus. They came for Aravan.
Ragini: They can enquire me for abetment if Aravan says that I am the reason for his bikewheeling. Just then the Poni's phone rang. "Mayilvili is calling" said Poni.
Kani: Call her immediately her uncle is police officer. We can have more information.
A few minutes later Mayilvili joined the friends. Mayilvili was surprised to see the sudden party without her knowledge. After a round of beer she came to know what the matter was. She couldn't contain herself. She burst into laughter. Her sudden guffaw that flooded the room resembled an all out Balakot surgical air strike. They could imagine the continuous bombardment of Mirage 2000 fighters. After a while she took a pause and said "It is Suchitra's brother who visited in the afternoon, He is not a police officer." She continued to laugh.
***
Tanya and Diana are sitting at the table in the staffroom. Diana was reading the Guardian. Tanya was correcting the notes. "I would burn in hell than to return home" – Diana read aloud. Tanya stopped work ad looked at Diana strangely. "British teachers are fleeing overseas. I would burn in hell than to return home says British teacher migrated to Switzerland. explained Diana and added "There is an exodus of teachers from England to Switzerland.” Tanya understood that Diana read the news. "Ufff…".Tanya dropped her pen down and said “ what happened?”
Diana: Brain drain!!! Most teachers from London are joining Institut auf dem Rosenberg one of the most expensive schools in the world. It is twice as expensive as Eton college.
Teachers in this school are from Vietnam, New
Zealand, Hong Kong, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Colombia, Sweden
and Germany. They wrote from France, Bali, Singapore, Seychelles, Tanzania, the
US, South Korea, Brunei, Japan
That is international school., teachers from
diverse cultures and languages. Said Angayar. She stepped into the classroom with a beautiful smile.
Diana: That is the smile said Diana, “
Meenakshi lacks this smile.
Angi: Of course! She lacks this plastic smile. Meenakshi
smiles naturally wholeheartedly
Your are admitting that your smile has no life?
Why only smile , I have no life
Diana has understood that the medicine she gave
did not work. she asked with eyes
Angayar shook her head meaning the
medicine did not work. Her face became sad.
Don't worry! you have forgotten to do something! You have to change the place" Said Diana
Angayar smiled. Diana too smiled and said " Try my plan for the last time."
Costing up to £100,000 for an academic year,
the Institut auf dem Rosenberg
What’s behind the brain drain? said Tanya
Here we feel, we can be more creative, more independent. “In the UK you are constantly having to report to certain people about certain things. Here you are trusted to do what you think is best for the student. " It is the comedy" Said Angayar.
That is how the cookie crumbles. The Swiss school pays them much higher. Aren't Indians working in USA and Europe? " Aren't we changing jobs here? said Tanya.
So you left your previous school for better salary" said Diana.
"NO, I left the previous school for better working conditions" said Tanya
"What better conditions you have seen here?" Said Angayar
I haven't seen better conditions here but I have seen worse conditions there.
It is a Christian school that has misplaced sense of religion that only Christianity is true and other religions are wrong. As such the English education is very critical about Hindu , customs, traditions and culture. The pseudo seculars have taken advantage of English education and tried to prove that everything about Hinduism is unscientific hence wrong including your birth. Recently we had annual day. In the cultural activities the school presented a drama against bad habits. The opening scene of the drama is Lord Ganesha smoking cigarette and Lord Shiva contemplates on how his son fell in bad company. The drama did not serve the intended purpose of creating awareness on social blemishes but showed Hindu gods in bad light.
Angayar " There are many Christian Schools came into news for humiliating Hindu gods and make fun of them." "Ninety percent of the spectators are Hindus but they were too proud to accept their inferiority. For them it is a super hilarious comedy. said Tanya.
Diana was silent while Angayar said " Thank god we got a good Christian who truly loves her neighbours." I am not a Christian" said Tanya. " But why you have a Christian name?" asked Angayar. " Tanya is a Russian name. I was born in Russia" said Tanya.
Very interesting , tell me about your father and family" Said Diana.
She rose from the chair and said " I must go to class now, but here is some money we collected for the hospital bills of Meenakshi you can use them if necessary." said Tanya giving a cover to Angayar. "Her son has paid the bills. Please keep it with you" said Angayar. That is a great son! said Tanya and left to class.
***
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