Then and now ...

One fine day!
when Shah Jahan was in deep thought to build Taj Mahal for his Wife Mumtaz…

Strong, well build, good hearted Selvan entered the Gateway of Madurai, the capital city of Pandiyan dynasty with more hope of winning his first trade in his life.

Another fine day!
When Indians were busy voting for Taj mahal in internet to hold its position in World wonder…

Karthick reached Chennai Egmore railway station with great hope of winning his life. He got placed in well known software office at OMR in Chennai. His mannerism resembled the young hero in the latest hit flick of the city.

After a weak time! Selvan was doing good in his business and he wanted a break for a day to relax from his business. He went to a watch a stage drama, all about Ramayana which is very rare to see in his village. And there he fell in love with Seetha, who was named Malar out of the theatre… her real name. As like her name says, she can be compared to all beautiful, fresh, soft and pure flowers.

Karthick did well in his job. All because of his dedication and hard work he moved close with his higher authorities of the department. And he got chance to hit the party thrown by the client of his company where he met the girl Shakthi, the fair, beautiful, average height, smiley girl and he fall in love with her at first sight. He didn’t miss to see her dimple when she smiled, which added extra beauty to her.

Selvan became the regular visitor to the show. No matter how many times he watched the show, anyways who will feel bored to watch his love! … slowly, he got a place in Malar’s heart. she too fall in love with Selvan. He proposed her by the unknown words from his eyes and she readily accepted him. They shared many words from eyes, all the days, everyday! Everything was smooth and fine and all smiles…until…

Karthick found her details in office data… soon he became her bus friend, they started traveling together in the company bus when they worked in same shift. They both liked each other and Karthick was already in love with her. They became friends in mail, all social networks, of course… they shared their mobile numbers. They were busy chatting either in internet or in mobile. They knew each other well now… and then it happened!

Selvan and Malar met for the first time… but to depart. Selvan promised her with tears in his eyes, that he will settle soon in his business and marry her in next winter, almost a year later. Malar, with hope and sad heart send him to his village and promised him to wait till he returns… days rolled on.. on and on… she waited all day in her door step and Selvan worked to achieve his aim… yes! they both carried love in their heart.

Now, Karthick knew Shakthi well and more and his parent too. He don’t want to wait anymore, he wanted to propose her. One finest day! Karthick proposed Shakthi by texting to her mobile. Shakthi, as if waiting for long time for this to happen, with great joy and smile, she readily accepted him. She was also happy that her parents had already replied in her favor.

After achieving his aim, Selvan married Malar with the blessings of their parents, in the next winter as he promised. They lived like they are the happiest and loving couple on earth. Happily lived ever after!

Karthick and Shakthi married soon in an year time after Karthick became a team leader. They lived like they are the happiest and loving couple on earth. Happily lived ever after!

Thanks to technology
Now, love is easy to reach!

Thanks to Nisha for her pictures.

the vast beautiful ventilator

This place is not a new to me... I used to come here whenever possible... But this time it is different, Everything is different... this place is the end of the world! for me, Whenever i return from this place, i feel like i vented out all my feelings. I return like a new soul...
This place is nothing but a Beach... yeah! for me this is the end of the world, i see no land from the place i stand... i guess u too!
Not in the late afternoon... in the beach far from the city, i stand in the elevated shore, leaving the sun behind me... looking straight to the water, the end of the world... my shadow stretched to touch the sea water that tries to reach the shore...
I stand still, looking at nothing but a blue painted clear sky, and the vast surface of water that reflects the fellow sky... the sea water rolled towards me but drained back without touching me...
Looking to my left, i find my friends playing... far from me. I find none near!... no one for quite a good distance...
Feeling the breeze from the sea i bend myself to sit on the shore... sitting, my hand start to wave the sand...
Taking a hand full of sand, i start to count them... soon i lost the count, its impossible...No! its not impossible, its possible... but its infinity... endless! This is how my love for you is... its infinity, endless! i told showing the sand to the sea...
The sound of the waves and the breeze pretends like answering me in joy... Happy that U understood me...
I started to shout out my feel for everything... from my family to my job... all about my love for them to hectic job that kick me... about everything in my life... i vented out my feel...
Pretty soon... everything is fine, everything in my life...
I stand to walk back to my friends, smiling at the sea... singing to myself...
and there hE stand! smiling at me and not far from me... this man, i know him very well, close by heart... surprise to see him... he could have heard me?!?! before i get the answer, he started to move far from me, in opposite direction... leaving the foot prints...



P.S. Thanks to Caarthick for his click :)

Life is beautiful

june 1,
5.30pm,
@ Mr. Joe's flat.

.....
Shakthi: Y? possibly d last outing in our college life, our course ends in a month time, rem?! :(
She: No shak, i have to save this month's pocket money for my bro... wanna gift a guitar for his b'day. He is trying to get one for long time...
Shakthi: But... its k, i dont want to force u, just join with us. u need not to spend, let me tc of tht...
She: Thnks, anyways... wl get permission frm my dad today...
Shakthi: ok dr... am waiting........ so wht else, whts up for the evening?...
She:.....nth........ the gtalk conversation continues between She(mr.Joe's elder daughter) and Shakthi(her college frnd)....


.... "No da machi, lets catch up 4 another movie smeother time, u guys hv fun... I hv to get a mobile pouch for my sis 4 my b'day... i lst her pouch gifted by her frnd, she mite b fling bad. hv 2 sav money 4 her"
He, the younger son of mr.Joe replied to his friend's sms....

..."Dear Jesus, save one and all, thanks for another Good day, forgive our mistakes and guide us. Amen." finishing her prayer Mrs.Joe tell to herself, should ask Joe to take his mom for eye check up this sunday also should reduce my expense this month to balance the budget....

..."Dear Jesus, save one and all, thanks for another Good day, forgive our mistakes and guide us. Amen." finishing her prayer Joe's mom tell to herself.... should ask Joe to plan a trip to Velankanni church. Its been long time since v prayed there. Blessings of Mary will protect the family...

6.15pm.
In metro train.

Mr.Joe... said to his soul, "I need strength, I should hide everything from my family. They may feel bad if they know that i lost my job today because of recession. I should find a job soon, till then i should pretend am working...... Jesus, help me"....

his mobile beeped...
he got a sms from an unknown number...
the msg says....
" Whatever comes in your way, life has to move on.... Life is beautiful :)"

Karthik

this story is long but don't miss it plz...

The clock ticked 10pm when the mangalore express started from the egmore station. We were in joy of attending Godi-ophy marriage next day.
We includes me, gowtham, nasher, iman and aslam(my friends cum roommates).
When we felt there is no movement inside the coach and everyone are settled, we quickly finished our supper and the train reaches tambaram station by 10.35pm.
We settled in the individual berth we liked when the train crossed tambaram. I jumped up to the upper berth near the door, since light can reach me easily and it will help me for reading. We didn't talk much among us since we were busy with our own work. Nasher and Aslam were busy on call, Gowtham and Iman tried to catch up with sleep... and i was enjoying music...
Other 3 in our cabin were a boy of age around 10 and his parents...
In another 15min every lights in the coach were off except the lights in service area. I felt black and white effect with white light on my left and black cabins on my right.
I stopped the music for a while to hear the rythemic sound of the train... wow... i enjoy this sound always ... always with the rythemic shake of train that makes one to dance for the sound of train... in fact i enjoy this daily in local train, but this was different, no noise of public and its late night, cool breeze... i enjoyed the feel and i remember the lines from New radicals' someday we'll know...
"if i could ask God just one question...
y rn't u here with me, tonight..."

I tried to sleep but in couldn't and i started reading... thanks to lights in service area...
i didn't feel like reading after a while and so i took out my scribble pad to scribble something...
i checked my watch for time... it showed 11.20pm... i started scribbling.........

am not sure when did i sleep, voice of a tea boy woke me up... adjusting my spex, i checked the time, it showed few minutes passed mid night...
i moved the scribble pad with pen to the corner and came back to the position to sleep looking the door,
the train started moving... i didn't feel like knowing the station since i knew the train will reach my destination only after 4.30am.
i enjoyed the rythemic sound and dance of the train with my eyes staring at the door...

to my shock a boy of around 16yrs old jumped into the train... i raised my head with shock and gave a strange look at him... he was panting and sweating, he might be running to catch the train...
he saw me after a quick check in the lower half of the dark coach, he felt uncomfortable looking at me and his face showed his fear...
i started at him for a while... felt like asking what made him to take risk to jump into the moving train?
but he was panting... his face changed like he need help...
he checked the dark coach again, everyone were sleeping...
he showed his finger for water! i stretched the water bottle to him... he readily accepted and consumed half the bottle,
he thanked me stretching back the bottle, i sighed... he smiled...
i felt strange to see a young boy jumping into the coach without bag and panting, sweating also not getting into the cabin if his berth is reserved...
i guessed he don't have ticket... but he looked young and i thought i can pass sometime with him...
i jumped down to talk to him, also thinking i can help him if he need any...
i went near him, he moved to the corner near the door... he might be uncomfortable!
what's your berth number?, i will help you to find it out! i told him, later i felt why the damn should i ask him this when am not the TTR...
no sound from him in reply...
don't u have your ticket? i asked him...
rubbing out his sweat with his hand he said he forgot to bring...
really? i bugged him again...
i didn't reserve one really, he replied
don't u know this is punishable to travel without ticket? i told him searching for the notice board that explains about the fine amount.
he didn't reply and he peeped into the coach to check if someone is watching us...
i looked back and found everyone were sleeping...
why did u jump into the train? i bugged him again and again...
tears started rolling down his cheek...
i felt sorry about my attitude, also am not the right person to ask him the ticket.
I didn't know what to do...
don't cry, don't cry... i tried stop him crying.
he sighed and showed his finger for water, i gave him the water and he emptied the bottle...
no sound for sometime... i left him alone to relax and i searched my mobile to check if i got any sms...
no sms or buzz... i moved back to him...
i thought i should be more friendly to him, since no men make mistakes wantedly and he is young, also he may have good reason to travel without ticket.
i went to him and spoke friendly than before...
the overall hints from our conversation are...
his name is karthik,
he just got the results for his 12th exams and to his shock he is failed in a subject. He used to get good marks in his school and he really can't figure how he failed. His parents were broken badly than him. So he ran out from his home with an idea to get back to his home only after getting a degree in medicine.
Sad to hear these, I tried to console him...
this is not end of the road, this is just a speed breaker! i told him...
when we were talking, suddenly we felt the light from the other end of the coach..
oops TTR!!!
i want to hide this guy from TTR... and how???
i took him inside the cabin and asked him to hide below the lower berth, i moved all the bags outside...
he thanked hidding himself under the lower berth... i moved the bags again to hide him... i jumped up to the upper berth quickly...
thank god, no one saw us...

I raised my head to check the TTR... he was nearing to the next cabin...
i closed my eyes pretending to sleep...
after few minutes i felt like he was nearing our cabin and nearing me...
he started shaking my shoulder...
He sounded strange... Get up! Get up!...

his voice faded...
but i heard it again...
Get up! Get up! but it was Gowtham and not TTR...
Get up... we are nearing to Trichy, he said...
oops, is that a dream?!?! i questioned myself rubbing my eyes...
something flashed in my head and i jumped down to check Karthik under the lower berth...
he was not there... but the bags were not at place where we stuffed them before dinner below lower berth...
something inside my head told me to check the water bottle...
i did, quickly... but it was empty!!!
how?... so it was not dream... he was here, but he left without informing me...
and the train reached trichy...
i felt bad...
we took all our bags and stepped out of the train... i searched on either side of the platform to check if i can see karthik by chance...
but no... i didn't see him...
i walked to the main bus terminal near to catch the bus to manaparai.
We had coffee, grabbed couple of newspapers and got into the bus...
bus moved out of bus terminal exactly at 5.30am.
I started to check the results of IPL match. oops! KKR lost the match again... bad bad bad...
i flipped the newspaper from back...
i frozen when i flipped to 3rd page... shocked and i felt someone is tightening my neck...
i widen my eyes to get the clear view... ya... i saw the picture of karthik and the news said he commited suicide!!!
My head started spinning... is that him!!! i started to read the news...
the news said...
his name is karthik, he commited suicide the previous day night jumping from the moving mangalore express train(the one which i travelled yesterday) after knowing he failed in his 12th exams, but actually it was an error in printing the results. Later the authority confirmed he got school second rank.

My heart stopped. I felt like someone nailed my head...
if he commited sucide the previous day then who travelled with me yesterday night? Whom did i helped to hide? Who emptied my water bottle?
so many questions flowed out of my head... without answers...

and

the papers of my scribble pad that i forgot to take from the train started moving to the rythmic move of the train...
the last page showed...
"he thanked hidding himself under the lower berth... i moved the bags again to hide him... i jumped up to the upper berth quickly...
thank god, no one saw us... "

P.S. I dedicate this to my friend Karthik, who committed(reported as!) suicide before our 12th results, fearing of failure(again, reported as!). We missed the chance to wish you for getting School Second Rank... we missing u...

and so i named this post Karthik.