The Unpredictable Monarch – The Most Dominant Force Forever! Part 4
October 19, 2009 by admin
Filed under Arts and Entertainment
Nature is superior
Chennai. It’s 5.30 in the morning. It’s partially dark. The mighty sun hasn’t positioned himself yet. It is a broad street in ‘Mylapore’ at the heart of the city. All the houses in the locality have something in common. The people’s lifestyle and social activities did not have much difference. All these God Kapaleeshwara’s devotees are simple. These middle class ‘Brahmin’ houses are called ‘Agraharams’. The happenings on these ‘Agraharams’ are definitely a very different sight to watch.
Ladies come out as early as 5 in the morning out of their house with a bucket and broomstick, cleans and draws a huge ‘kolam’(drawing) on the street. This art is drawn before every house with rice flour. This is done with the good intention of providing food to ants and other insects and also to greet the people entering into the house and the myth behind this is to invite the good powers inside the house. Then, after taking bath, they offer prayers to ‘Thulasi Maadam’(a medicinal plant considered holy).
From one of these houses, a voice was heard.
“Amma(mother),amma,amma”
“Appa(Father), appa”
“Amma”
As Karthik got out of his room, he found his father Sadasivam performing ‘Sandhya Vandanam’, a daily ritual or prayer. Mr. Sadasivam, in his late 50′s was just wearing a white cloth rounding his hips(veshti) and a sacred thread(poonal) on top, covering it with a white towel. Karthik knows very well that he will not get any response from his father, unless his prayers are completed.
Sadasivam’s forehead had three lines made of ‘Vibuthi’, a white sacred powder. Even the same ‘Vibuthi’ marks were found on both sides of his chest and three places from shoulder to wrist on both arms. Sadasivam was normal Indian colour and one can certainly find something special hidden in him.
Sadasivam was sitting with his legs criss-crossed. He kept his left palms on his right lap and his right palm closed on his left palms. He chanted
“Mamo partha samastha Thuritha kshayathwara shree Parameshwara Prithyartham Pratha Sandhyam Upashishyea.”
Karthik now went in search of his mother Meenakshi in to the kitchen shouting-
“Amma”
Karthik could see Meenakshi performing her prayers to the ‘Tulasi Maadam’. Meenakshi, a very homely lady in her mid or early 50′s, dressed in typical Brahmin sari known as ‘madisar’. She had a towel rounded on her wet hair and a huge ‘kumkumam’, a red colour powder on her forehead, humming some prayers and rounding the ‘Maadam’ thrice. Karthik waited until she finished her prayers and started-
“Amma, Uma has sent me a mail. She want to know when you and appa will go there.”
Meenakshi excited queried “How is she? How is Avinash and Shailesh?”
Karthik understood her anxiety and fed her aptly saying “She’s fine. Shailesh (Brother-in-law) is very busy it seems and young Avinash wants to see you and appa.
Meenakshi’s voice became feeble “I’ve got only 2 kids. Your akka(elder sister) is in US and you are in Singapore. We are alone here in Chennai. Dei Karthik, why don’t you search a job here in India ?”
Karhik consoled her “Amma, jus’ now I am getting stable there. Uma is pregnant and now she would require your help there. After 2 or 3 months you and appa go there and stay with her for a while. She will also be happy and you will also not be bored.”
Meenakshi’s eyes became wet as she said “Only that is not my duty. I have to search a suitable girl for you and play with your children before I die”
Karthik in a fury “Amma! Shut up.” And Immediately to console her he hugged her and said “I love you, amma.”
As this conversation was on Sadasivam entered the scene. He set his eyes on Karthik’s eyes and said “You take your time, Karthik. Remember, even we are also getting old.”
Karthik slowly “Appa, Uma has sent a mail”
Sadasivam impinged his left hand on Karthik’s left shoulder and said “Come On! Let me see that.”
Karthik hesitantly “Appa, I have advanced my journey. I am leaving day after tomorrow- 11th of April.
The statement did not bother Sadasivam by any means and both of them left the backyard and entered the house.
The little span between Birth and death has a lot to teach man. This body is a bag of dreams. But nature has other ideas. It makes life an illusion and hence nature is the superior ruler.
Source:admin