DON'T CALL HER

Don't Call Her (DCH)

lekin yeh

Dil Chahta Hai (DCH)

Was the network weak or was my voice breaking, I had no idea. I somehow grasped my breath to say Hello. Intoxicating voice from the other side really made me feel a current moving through my body.  I don’t know what was happening to me, I was speech less and was listening to her as if; I was listening to some great secrets from Mr. Assage (Wiki Leaks Fame). When the call ended, I was feeling thirsty. I drank water as if I was in a desert for many days. When I got back to my senses, I realized that, I’ve just told her, I’ll be meeting her tomorrow in a coffee shop. Oh! My God! She is in Mumbai. Why am I meeting her? I should have denied her request. I just don’t know what to do now. I tried to sleep, but it was not successful. Even though my eyes were closed, I could visualize her in the same dress and the same way she smiled at me when we first met.

I met her in one of the most memorable train journeys of my life.  I was an Engineering student at that time. I was travelling from Kerala to Delhi. Like all my train journeys, this also started with me scanning my co-passengers’ names in the list sticked outside my compartment.  M37, M24, F51, M20. This is how the chart read. Nothing was thrilling, only hope was that M24, can be a good company till I reach Delhi. M37 and F51 would be boring and will have to read some novels for time pass. When I reached my seat, it was a pleasant surprise, it was not a F51 sitting in our compartment. We have a young lady who was so beautiful, and I almost stared at her for few seconds before I started adjusting my baggage.  The guy sitting opposite to me also doesn’t look like M37. He was well built and had a neat hair cut (Army Cut). He has to be a soldier going back to his camp after vacation. He will be a serious man with all those War stories to tell.  What the hell is wrong with this guy who sits next to me? He is so deeply involved in the book he is reading. He was my only hope to get away from boredom when I saw the list outside. Now I have a beautiful young lady sitting next to me. But why is this guy so serious.  I was trying to get friendly and asked him where he was heading even though I’ve inferred from the list that he was going to Delhi.  He just said Delhi and went back to his book. I just cannot leave him like that, if he is also not talking to me, I’ll kill myself out of boredom. Hi, I’m Vineesh an Engineering student. Are you a college student?  He lifted his head up for the first time and told, he was Sandeep and a practising Dentist in Delhi. He again went back to his book.

I wanted to ask him something, and then the Army person sitting, opposite to me, who was listening to our conversation just started introducing himself to me. Hi, I’m Hariprasad an Ex-Service Man.  Oh!, so u are retired?   Yeah served the mother India for 15 years now started a small business in Kerala. He was talking and talking many things. He was not like all other Army people, I have met. He was very enthusiastic and was talking to me as if we are class mates. He was not at all talking his age. He was talking like any engineering student would do in the hostel.  We just cannot ignore our 4^th Co-passenger, I was trying to talk to her and there was no need. She herself started to introduce herself. Hi, I’m Nancy. Before she could say anything more I told her she looks beautiful and I could see her blushing like a bride to be. We three suddenly developed a chemistry between each other and we started talking about many things.   Nancy was so bubbly and was talking about her family, her friends, her school pranks and many more. Most of the time I didn’t hear what she was talking, but was just enjoying her beauty. She was like a beautiful sculpture created by God. Her eyes were so attractive and she was as cute as a little baby. We three were enjoying the journey as if we were long lost friends. Is she flirting with me or is it me who is doing it? Our dentist was still reading. Saala aisa padh raha hai ki kal uska exam hai.

The dentist was exactly opposite of what I’ve expected him to be considering his age and this was the same case with Hariprasd the Army Man. What more to say F51 turned out to be a young beautiful flirty girl. We were enjoying our journey to the fullest till a middle aged man rushed into our compartment. He pulled the curtains away and just came in so authoritatively. We politely told him, that this space is filled and may be he has to recheck the ticket for his exact seat no. He said he is a railway employee and just wanted to sit here till next station. He just pushed his large suitcase he was carrying along with him under the seat. We tried talking to him and he was not very keen in talking to us. He told us he was Sanjay Sankla from Thane. He looked worried and was sweating even in a 2 tier AC Compartment. He walked out and moved to the door to have a fag. We stopped caring for him and got involved in our talks. We were talking something and Nancy went to use the washroom. She came back running and she looked worried and she couldn’t speak anything. What is wrong? I wrapped my hands over her shoulder and made her sit next to me.  I held her tight and I could feel her shivering. I gave her water and asked her what happened.  “That man fell off the train.” What? All three of us asked in single voice. “He was smoking near the door and the train jerked as it shifted the rail and the door closed itself. The door knocked that man off the train” We were all silent for a second.

“He was mysterious from the moment he entered” We all looked at the source of the voice and to our surprise, our dentist is talking now. He suddenly became interested and started speaking to us. He asked Nancy what did she see and asked her that is she sure that the guy fell off the train. She nodded her head in affirmation.  Suddenly he started speaking like a Don. “So guys, that man is anyway dead, so we need to really open his baggage and check it.” Hariprasad was quick and told that, we should not do that, it can be an explosive, or may be a dead body. We need to inform the RPF about the same. Our Dentist was in total control of the situation. Hey guys take it cool, I’ll handle it. You guys sit quietly and watch the show. He gave a long lecture to convince us. We were not really convinced, but we were also eager to know the mystery behind that man. Dentist took out his doctor’s equipments out. He opened lock of the suitcase so professionally that we even doubted him for a thief rather than a dentist.  Now it was time for us to see the real thing. We all stood around the suitcase. I felt as if I was not breathing, this was the same case with everyone except our dentist. He slowly opened the box and we could only see newspapers. Now he slowly removed newspapers and we couldn’t believe our eyes. It was full of fresh currency notes, Rs.500/- currency notes neatly wrapped in transparent plastic sheets. Dentist covered the suitcase and asked all of us to sit down calmly and listen to his plan.

We will have to get down before Delhi. There will be someone out there to receive this parcel. This suitcase is too big and we all four have to equally divide it between us and carry their share themselves. This will help in avoiding any fight after some time. So which station are we getting down I curiously asked Mr. Dentist. We will not get down at any station; we will pull the chain and get down somewhere as soon as possible. We started dividing the money and we were ready for our adventure trip. Hariprasad lifted his hands to pull the chain, but the train was slowing down already and stopped in between, may be for a crossing. We just looked outside and we just realized we are in the middle of Chambel forest.  This was not the time to think, but to act. We lifted our luggage and followed our new found leader in Dentist. We got down the train and went deep into the forest. 

It was getting late and we were trying hard to get out of the forest and reach some nearby village. But it looks like we will have to stay in the forest this night.  Hariprasad was quick and he made a Tent so quickly. Why are u carrying all these things along with you?  He told us, he was into this business. It was exciting and thrilling till now. I’m sure, once I’m out this thing, I can make a hit movie out of this plot. We four got inside the tent as it was getting colder outside.  Hariprasad and Dentist went to sleep quickly. I was talking to Nancy and in between, even I didn’t know, when I slept. May be half an hour or so when I opened my eyes, I noticed that Nancy was not inside the tent.  I slowly stepped out of the tent and the moon light has made the river bank so beautiful.  I could see Nancy sitting on the bank of the river and I walked towards her. What are u doing here alone?  She looked at me as smiled. It is so beautiful out here. I just don’t want to miss this feeling. What is wrong with you? Come let’s go and sleep. She told me “Sleeping is such a waste of time.” I still believe what she told was true.  I sat next to her and wrapped her under my arms. We sat there for few moments like that.  As they say, you cannot stop something from happening, if it has to happen it will happen what ever may be the circumstances.

She was looking more beautiful in the moonlight. I just could not stop adoring her. Our lips went so close to each other and stopped for a second. Then we kissed as if, we would never stop. It was cold out there but my body temperature was shooting up. We wanted to be one, and what ever came in between us was removed. I’m making out with a girl I just met hours before in a train, that too on a river bank. She tasted like honey. I didn’t want to stop, but nature has its restrictions.  I just removed myself from her, and rested my back on sandy river bank. Nancy kept her head over my left shoulder. I just don’t know how long we were in that position. It was nothing less than an adventure to be no string attached with a girl on a river bank and count stars. We somehow came back to our senses and realized, we need to get dressed and get some sleep. We went inside the tent and Nancy slept. I wanted to tell her something then I decided not to. “Sleeping may be a waste of time, but sleeping with someone is definitely not.”  I was sitting next to her and was lost in her beauty. I couldn’t get sleep even for five mins.

Next morning we started walking again and we some how found a highway. We took a lift in a Jeep and went to the nearest bus stand. Then we took a bus to Mathura and then a bus to Delhi. It was tiring but I didn’t feel it as Nancy was with me. I didn’t want to reach Delhi. I’ll have to say good bye to Nancy and continue my trip to Hamirpur. But we all had to part our ways and we decided not to call anyone. This will be our last meeting. Hariprasad and Dentist said goodbye and went in two opposite directions.  I just didn’t know, how to say good bye to Nancy. Nancy was with me for last 4 days and I was talking and flirting with her, but I never asked why she was here in Delhi. She told me she is a teacher in a missionary school. Vineesh, I’m going to be nun. I’m here to become a nun and I wanted to live my life before it. But now I think, I’m not fit for that. I should go back. I again went speechless. She kissed me and walked away into the Delhi crowd. I was standing still, even forgot to kiss her back. I took a bus to Hamirpur. I thought had lot of money with me to enjoy my college days. I realized the truth, once I reached Hamirpur that; one of them had already stolen my money. I slowly and conveniently forgot about Nancy.

Then they invited something called Orkut and we met online again. We just became online friends. Distance has a magical effect to reduce the intensity of relationship. Years passed and I did my Engineering and MBA. Mumbai was amazing at the beginning. Once when I shifted from orkut to Facebook, I added Nancy again. I started flirting with her online. One fine day on chat, she told me, she is getting married. That was the day I changed her name in phone book to “Don’t Call Her” from “Sweetheart”.  I didn’t know why I was sad that day. I had no intentions of marrying her now. I would have done that after I’ve done with my engineering. But MBA has changed me a lot. Even if I’m a changed man now, Nancy’s marriage made me feel sad.  I overcame it. I still continued flirting with her. I just started using the basic algorithm. “Married women are safe as there will be no strings attached.”  Even after her marriage, I continued flirting with her online and over phone. I even travelled all the way to Delhi to meet her.

I couldn’t sleep the whole night and I was to meet her tomorrow in a coffee House in Mumbai. I went down to a coffee house in south Mumbai which we have decided over phone. I just couldn’t believe my eyes. She was dressed in white and she was stunning. She was holding a white puppy in her hand. She was feeding her cute puppy with ‘Lays’.  This sexy lady’s dog eating chips? Wonderful! Looking into her eyes I felt as if I’m falling in love again. I still  couldn’t  stop staring at her. We were in a coffee house in South Mumbai, but I felt I was  meeting an angel in some lonely place. I was in the world created by my imagination.  I recited to myself that, I’m with a married woman, behave.

Once we were done, I went home. I was disturbed. I wanted to speak to someone. I started speaking to my roommate. Ankit, what should, I do if a married woman, wants to marry me? Ankit was confused and asked me, what is wrong with me. I told him that, I was interested in her before her marriage and she now feels she could only be happy being with me. It is not that she is not happy with her 6 months old marriage, but she wants to be with me for her entire life, not with someone else. Ankit was very clear about, what has to be done. He asked me to forget her. He also told me, my parents won’t agree to this. He insisted that I should have stopped flirting with her after her marriage. Vineesh, “Why did u go to Delhi last month?” “You just went to meet her or did u do something”. I really didn’t want to answer that. I just went out of the kitchen and sat down to listen to some music.

I understood what Ankit was trying to tell me. That is the reality of life. I’ve to do it that way only. I'll have to run away from this addiction. Beauty of the situation is not in running away from the girl, but to convince the lady that, it is practically not possible. Will I be able to crack this puzzle? Will have to wait till tomorrow’s sun rise.

Melody Itni Chocolaty Kyun Hai

I was in a hurry and I just handed over my mobile phone to my friend and went inside the most secured HDFC ATM which is situated in the Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel. There was a guy who doesn’t know how to use ATM and I was just teaching him how to do the same. By the time the person who was transacting in the next machine completed his transaction and went out. His machine was making beep beep noise. I just went near the machine and it threw up his card. Oh! He has forgotten to take his card. I just took his card and went out to check for him, by the time he has just disappeared. I handed over the debit card to the Security Guard and started my ATM transaction. I came out of the ATM and my friend who was taking care of my mobile, told me that there were few calls for me. I was busy arranging the money in my wallet and asked him who all called. He told only one name I could recognize and that was Shivani, there was another call from some one called Chocolate. I ignored both the calls. I was getting bored and I attended the next call, as it was saved in your mobile as Customer Care. I’m sorry and never realized it was a personalized customer care. I just put back my wallet in my pocket and took the mobile back and called all 3 who had called me. My friend asked about my relationship status. I told him that it is complicated. He told me to cut the crap. If you think your relationship status is complicated, stop kidding and make sure you get back to single status.

That was food for thought for me. That whole night I was lying down on my bed and was just thinking about my relationship status. I couldn’t even sleep for a moment. My thoughts got wild and I recollected all those girls who were in my life till date. The story starts from my Lower KG. I had a wonderful start as the girl whom I’m mentioning was not my love interest, but she wanted to marry me. I always ran away from her. I still can’t remember her name or face. May be I will never recognize her if she come in front of me. My mom will definitely know her name. Will have to ask her when I get back to Kerala next time.

I moved to a hilly district in Kerala named Iduky when I was in Upper KG and I was there till 2^nd grade. This time the girl in the story and I always had a healthy fight to become the topper of the class. It had all masala a bollywood movie required to make it a super hit.

3^rd grade and 4^th grade was in a small school in Jawahar Nagar, Trivandrum. I really cannot recollect any particular girl from this school. 5^th Grade was the worst in my school life; I was in one of the top rated school in Trivandrum. The worst part was that my class was all boys’ class. The school had girls in other session. Some of them were really cute. I don’t really want to take names as they have grown into gorgeous women and are working with reputed firms.

6^th and 7^th grade were wonderful years. I was in a small town named Pattambi in Palakad District in Kerala. I’ve just turned into a teenager and my hormones were making me into a Man. It was a natural process and I started behaving like a teenager. The teachers use to punish us by making us sit in between two girls and we used to make mistakes to be punished. My hormones were making me do all these.

From there I moved to the Cochin where I did the critical part of my school education. 8^th Grade to 12^th grade was wonderful. I will not start counting my love interests in this period, which will be too much for this blog to handle. But definitely I will have to mention a girl in 9^th grade who was on the top of the list. I was in 11^th grade and I had a huge crush on her. The problem was when I went to inter school competitions I got the same feeling for few girls from other school too. One of the girls I met in the CBSE All Kerala Athletic Meet and whom I had a crush is now representing India in long distance races.

Then I went to Calicut for few days before I went to NIT- Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh. That was the most beautiful period in my life. Pehla Pehla Pyar. It all happened as it was all written. There was no formal proposal too. I was crazy for her and the same was her case too. It was golden period as I had the whole day with me, and I spent every moment with her. Our relationship grew stronger and stronger, but God had different plans. I had to go to 3000Km away from her to do my engineering. They said long distance relationship doesn’t work, but it was perfectly working for me. I used to write letters to her from Hamirpur. My Malayalam writing skills were horrible, but still I managed somehow. She used to write back, half the letter used to be mistakes I had made in the previous letter. Mobile phones were too costly at that time. In an engineering college you hardly have any good looking female and that too in an institute to this stature. May be my eyes were not looking at them that way, because I just had only one girl to think about. The principle of Demand and Supply is best learned here. I just didn’t develop love interest in any of the females in My Engineering College as I was in a relationship already. There were two girls worth mentioning in this time frame. One was from Germany and another from Brazil. They were Chat friends, but were good enough mentioning in this blog. First love is always special; I always wanted to get back to home to meet her. Things didn’t turn up well but I still cherish those memories. Four years of relationship was hard to break up. But somehow I became more practical and wanted to move ahead in life and not ready for a commitment.

When I joined SIOM for my MBA, I stayed away from girls, because I was just coming out of a break up. They say to come out of a breakup find a new girl or have a new hair cut. I chose to stay away from girls and didn’t want to get into all those troubles I’ve been through. But it was not so easy, and then Sharanya came into my life. We suddenly became very good friends, but I had no idea in which direction I was moving. When I reached Mumbai, it was Sharanya who was on my phone all time. But some how I had no idea Sharanya will lead me to Riya. Everyone who reads my blog knows about Riya.

The more I was trying to get away from her; I was attracted more to her. May be this was not enough, I gets a call from wrong no. and we become friends. I saved her name as Chocolate in Mobile. There is another girl whose name is saved as customer care. Customer care calls me occasionally, but Choclate made it a point to call me daily. It became a routine. I just cannot sleep without talking to her. She suddenly became a part of my life. Only problem with her was, she was 9 years younger to me. I’ve not seen her till now, but just love talking to her. Now what is my relation ship status? It is complicated. But I like it this way. Let it be complicated because Melody Chocolaty Hai. I just closed my eyes and my Phone was ringing. I just looked at it and I couldn’t believe it. My caller id reflected the name “Don’t Call Her” (DCH).

I didn’t tell you guys about DCH; because it’s been long we have talked. We met in a train Journey. We were travelling to Delhi together. It was one of the memorable train journeys I ever had. I just don’t know whether to take this call or reject this call. I just accepted the call and said Hello.

(To be continued …..)

A Girl Who Lived My Fantasies

Riya(lity) Bites Continues....

This blog is dedicated to the dedication and determination of one of the finest sports person this world has seen so far. (Virginie Razzano)

Riya was very much excited about the trip to Paris. I was not very sure what I was doing. I was confused and had no idea why I was doing this. I’ve just bought tickets for both us for an international trip. It might be pure lust that I was still hooked to her. I was mad and asked many sexual favours from her. I actually was trying to live my fantasies on her. But she denied all of them. I tried to convince myself this is not the right path I should be moving, but “dil hai ki manta hi nahi”. I had no idea why I was taking this girl for an international holiday? It might be because I forced myself on her. I don’t know the answers, but only thing I know is that, I enjoy every moment spent with her. Our relationship was different. I was not her BF, but I was more than a friend. It was much more than a one night stand. We both don’t know what ever our relationship was and what ever it was, we were enjoying it as it is.

Mumbai international airport terminal is awesome. My Titanium Royale card had a free lounge access. Free booze and food, what more can I ask. I ordered a cranberry breezer for Riya. She just looked at my eyes. My eyes asked her what was wrong. You are getting free booze and why the hell are you ordering Cranberry for me. Let’s have some Whiskey. Oh! I’m sorry; I thought you would be fine with breezer. She then ordered some “Chivas Regal 25 years” and Poland based Vodka named “Diaka.” She asked me what drink I would prefer. I don’t drink anymore my dear. I’ll have a coke. She looked confused and looked at me like she was sitting with an alien. Your card is offering you free booze and you are having coke? I’m fine dear, enjoy your drink. She just finished her drink in no time and ordered for the next round, this time she ordered for Johnnie Walker Blue and Absolute. I was just looking at her. Her juicy lips sipping the colour less drink was a nice treat to my eyes.

She was too much drunk and I had to literally drag her to our flight. I’m going to a foreign land, where I’ve never been and I’ve a responsibility of an unconscious beautiful young lady. Worst was yet to come. I just went to a brief nap after making Riya comfortable in her couch. There was an announcement, due to volcanic ash in Chile our flight will not be landing in Paris rather in Landon. Oh god! Now we have to catch a train to Paris. Our trip is turning into an adventure trip now. Riya was excited to know that we are landing in London and was making plans to visit tourist places in London. I was also making a plan, but a deadly one. Her BF is my old friend, but he is now a villan in my story, he is standing between me and Riya. Was this the reason I’m here? Am I going to kill him to get Riya? We went to many places in London and I was just enjoying the beauty of Riya rather than the beauty of London.

We took a train to Paris from London the next day. I was sitting next to Riya holding her hands. I just don’t watch other chicks when I’m with Riya, because to me she is the most beautiful girl in the entire world, but some how I cannot stop noticing the lady sitting opposite to me. Her eyes were red and it was easy to identify that she has been crying for some time and she is still in some trouble. I don’t know why I removed my hands from Riya’s and went and sat next to the lady. Madam are you ok, you want water to drink. I offered her the bottle and she drank the water and said thanks. I don’t know, I was feeling a connection, and I was talking to her like we were long lost friends. May be she felt I was very friendly and started talking to me. She told she was forced to travel by train as there are no flights available due to volcanic ash. I told her that, we are also doing the same. She told us that, she has never travelled in a train after she started playing professional tennis.

I was interested more in her now. Sports was always a turn on for me. Are you playing French open this year and to my surprise her answer was a Yes. I’ve to play this time for my BF and she burst out of tears. I had a tough time consoling her and wiping her tears. Riya sitting opposite to us was equally worried and was just wondering what I was doing. Once she regained her senses, I gave her water to drink. I was now interested in her story. She was ready to share with us her story.

My name is Virginie Razzano, I was born on May 12, 1983 in Dijon and is a French professional tennis player and the current French No. 3. I reached my career high ranking of World No. 16 on September 14, 2009. I want to walk on Court Philippe Chatrier with out an unimaginably heavy heart. I’m determined to play in my home country’s Grand Slam without my fiancé, my coach and biggest supporter by my side. I’ve promised Stéphane Vidal that I would play this year’s French Open, shortly before he succumbed last Monday to a brain tumour he had battled for the last nine years of our 11-year relationship. She was not crying now. I could see her determination in her eyes, but at the same time I could see tears in another pair of eyes. Razzano’s story has made Riya’s eyes wet. I hugged Razzano and went to wipe tears out of Riya’s eyes. You are nice and caring guy Vineesh. You are very much like my BF Rahul. He also has the same fantasies you have shared with me. I’ve denied everything till now, but I’m going to live all his fantasies now. Razzano has just showed me what real love is. If I cannot fulfil his fantasies what am I good for?

I wanted to kill Rahul before she start living my fantasies. I don’t want Riya to be a girl who lived my fantasies (with some one else). When we reached Paris, we got ourselves accommodated in a Motel. Next morning she just asked me to stay back and went to Rahul’s place. She was looking stunning. I had no idea what I’m supposed to do in this alien land. I was just sitting in my motel room. I took out the Benson & Hedges a British brand of cigarettes owned by the Gallaher Group. I just tapped the filter over my thumb nail and still in deep thoughts held it between my lips. I lit my cigarette and then blew the smoke back to the burning stick. I’ve lost track of my time and kept fagging for long. Every sip of smoke I take inside I have a new plan to kill Rahul. How can he be with Riya and live my fantasies? I’ve smoked away 3 packets of B& H ($36/Packet). Suddenly Riya knocked the door and the room was full of cigarette smoke. It really chocked her away. What are you doing here Vineesh? I’m sorry dear; I had nothing to tell her. We decide to move out as the room was full of smoke.

Sun has already set and I had eaten nothing till now. I was just fagging and planning to Rahul’s murder. We took a long walk and we are near Eiffel Tower. It was an awesome sight in the night lights of Paris. I’m in the most romantic place in the world with a girl whom I would like to make out. I was not in a romantic mood but was planning hard ways to get this girl. We sat down near the Eiffel tower and were just enjoying the view. I asked her did you live the fantasies. She counted few of my fantasies and told me that she is done with those and is planning to do the few next days. My blood was boiling. I need to kill that Bustard the earliest. We had dinner and went back to Motel. Next day when she went to meet Rahul, I follow her. I’ve managed to get Swiss-knife and keep it in my pocket. My plan was to take him for a drink and make him drink that much that he won’t have much energy to resist when I try to kill him.

My taxi was following her taxi and to my surprise, she was not going to Rahul’s house but to his work place. I never knew Dr. Rahul worked with American Hospital of Paris. I just followed Riya in the hospital corridor. I wanted to know how they fulfil the fantasies in the workplace. It is a fantasy by itself. She went inside a room where there was a VIP board hanging. I just couldn’t wait anymore and pushed open the door and what I saw was heartbreaking. Rahul was lying on the bed with lot of wires and pipes running from every hole he had. It was really sad to see that. There was beep noises of lot of medical instruments around him.

Riya was standing there with a surprise in her eyes. What are you doing here? I couldn’t recognize her emotion. Was that anger or disbelief? I was just following you. I’m sorry, I never knew about Rahul. What happened? It was a road accident happened 18 months back. He is in coma for eighteen months now. He has none of his senses working. I’ sorry, I never knew about the same. I loosened the grip over the Swiss-knife I was holding inside my pocket. She is still in love with this vegetable and I was planning to end this love story. I felt so uncomfortable and I felt a white beam of light getting into my eyes and I lost my consciousness

When I regained my consciousness I was lying in the hospital bed. Riya was sitting next to me. I had lot of questions to her. Why did she keep this as a secret? To whom she was speaking when I was doing the coding. Why was she lying about the fantasies? She gave me a glass of juice and asked me to relax and told me, she will clear all my doubts as if she just heard what I was thinking in my mind.

I know you would be thinking whom I was talking in Skype if Rahul is in Coma for 1.5 years. I was talking to Rahul only; the nurse adjusts the headphone over his ears while I make a call. So can he hear? That was my immediate response and it followed a silence for few seconds. Her eyes were wet she moved her head up and started speaking. I can speak, and why should I stop speaking to him just because he cannot hear me? I had no words to speak, and was numb for few seconds. Riya has just become an image in my mind. She has grown so big that I started looking up to her.

I can now connect all those incidents happened in my life for last few months. I now know, why I was never offered to talk to Rahul, even after she came to know he was my friend. I also know why Riya’s eyes where wet after listening to Razzano’s story. My blood was boiling when she told me she lived my fantasies with Rahul, but now I wish what ever she told to me was true. Oh God why didn’t you let this girl live my fantasies.

My trip back to Mumbai was on 25^th May 2011. We were in the airport before time not to do our security check up fast but to catch the action live on TV. Sharapova had an easy win but that day belonged to Razzano, who honoured her fiancé’s dying wish. We really had to rush to our flights as it was getting late. When we were running towards the terminal, I was in deep thoughts; this international trip has just made me meet two great women living in today’s world. Riya and Razzano’s story may be different, but they just taught me what true love is all about.

It was an uneventful trip back to Mumbai. We had lot of things to think about. We both were thinking more than talking to each other. I’ve become a changed man. This international trip has taught me many things. What ever had happened, I just cannot live without her. Our relationship has moved to a new level. Feeling of respect is more in me for her.

20^th June 2011 we had planed to be together, when Sania Mirza was fighting her first round in Wimbledon. I was not supporting her not because she married a Pakistani, but I cannot support anyone else when Razzano is playing. Riya was watching the match with me not because she understands tennis, but she wanted to watch Razzano winning. Riya really proved to be my lady luck. That match was Razzano’s first major victory after her fiancé’s death. It was drizzling outside, Riya sitting next to me and Razzano’s Victory. God you are great!

The entire story is not a work of fiction. If you find any resemblance to some facts in this story, it is not coincidence, but intentional. Author reserves all right to say which facts are not fictional.

Riya(lity) Bites

My friend’s GF, oops!!! My friend’s Love (As she calls herself) once told me, I’m a frustrated piece of shit. I need to get married. I asked her why she was so judgemental about me and she told me that, my blogs are full of Sex, Rape and Murder. It’s always dark. I needed a break and start writing something innovative and different. I told her “Barking Dogs seldom bites”, she just repeated the world seldom. I was freaked out enough to get out of the house and walked aimlessly. Many thoughts were wandering in my mind; I was walking as if I was in somnambulism. I got my conscious back, only when I realized that, I’m in Marine Drive. I just sat there gazing to the rough sea. The high tide was splashing water on my face. I just love to look at sea. Sea has wonderful power to absorb anything. I love to give it all my sorrows and like to confess to her all mistakes I’ve committed. But it is been strange, till date I had no confessions to make or neither did I had one today.

Vineesh, is that you? That was a familiar female voice. Oh! My God, that is Riya (Ref:- Mousetrap – my previous blog). Riya, you have grown to a beautiful woman. Yeah, but you just fled away from Mangalore two years back and never returned back. You never called my friend; she was very upset about you. Oh! really? I just didn’t want to talk about that episode. Riya, what are you doing here in Mumbai? It’s been almost one and a half years now in Mumbai. I’m doing graduation in computer programming Languages from Mumbai University. Good! Interesting, it’s been 5-6 years, I’ve done any coding. May be, I should start coding. She was very excited to know I like coding. Riya has really blossomed into a beautiful flower. Her blue top with butterflies over it and white shorts looked as if she was designed for the dress or vice versa.

It started raining suddenly and we were running in search of a shade holding each others hands. A girl in her Pink Lakhnawi Kurti was enjoying the down pour. I just couldn’t take my eyes off her beautiful body. The transparent Pink Lakhnawi Kurti was sticking to her body so nicely that every curve was quite visible. I was just staring at her while I was running in search of a shade holding Riya’s hands. That young pink girl was still enjoying every droplet of water that was coming down. We found tree shade by the time and Riya held my hand and asked if I would like to have a cup of coffee at her place. That looked like a perfect evening for me. Mumbai’s Mansoon, has just made Riya wet and I could see a drop of water travelling fro m her chin to her neck and moving inside her top. Sea breeze was moving through the wet hair of a beautiful lady who is holding my hand. May be this was not enough and she is inviting me to her place. We took a taxi and started moving towards Riya’s place. Riya, don’t u stay in a Hostel? Hostel sucks and restricts your freedom. I’ve taken a room with my BF. Oh! So you are in a live-in relationship? When I put forth this question looking very casual, the card castle, I’ve created in my mind has already started falling down. I just didn’t hear what her replay was. Till reaching her apartment, she was talking about many things and I was really not concentrating.

She just went straight to the kitchen and started making coffee. I enquired about her boyfriend and she informed me that her BF was in France and will only come back after 2 months. I don’t know why, suddenly I felt so lively and the card castle in my mind started self construction by itself. After the coffee and some usual talk, I left her house. But this became a regular practise later. I started making any damn excuse to meet her. I even made stories to my roommates to meet her. As always it was fun being with her. We have started spending quality time with each other. I started studying with her. I was reading networking books and programming languages. We started talking about geek things rather than romantic things. I became so obsessed with her or may be with coding, I started doing her assignments while she was chatting with her BF on internet. I was a fool and still continue helping her in every possible way I could. When my friends asked why I was doing this, I had no answer. I just smiled back to them. I always wanted to be with her and work for her. I always felt so good in her company.

On that black day I don’t know, why in the morning itself, I was in her house. After a peppy talk I decided to go back. Before leaving the place, I asked Riya for a Kiss. I don’t know why I asked such a silly thing. Riya was suddenly taken back and we just pressed our cheeks with each other and I went back. This could have been the end, but I came back to her place and ringed her door bell. As soon as she opened the door I went inside and tried to kiss her. She resisted and told, this is not the right thing I was doing. I was not there to do right things. I don’t know what was wrong with me. May be the monsoon effect, I just forced myself on that poor girl. I could see fear that disturbance in her eyes. She was in a shock and would have ever expected such behaviour from my side. May be the shock had made her not to respond violently. Her lips looked so juicy and the animal inside me had already woken up. I could not see or hear anything, and was just forcing my body against her.

Once I was done, I just went out with out saying anything. I just went straight to Marine Drive and I had to confess. May be first time in my entire life, I had something to confess to sea. I just sat there all alone and it was raining heavily. I didn’t make any attempt to move and was just getting wet in the rain. I wanted to stay that way, and so I could hide my tears in the rain drops. I had forgotten to cry, but tears had not forgotten their way and I was crying like a small kid. I’ve just done a heinous crime. I could go behind bars for 7 long years. I sat there and confessed to the sea through my tears. I just didn’t know what to do and was simply sitting there with a blank mind. I had no idea what to do. My hands were shivering to make a call. I gathered all strength and dialled Riya’s number. I couldn’t believe myself when she greeted with a hello. I just talked her for almost one hour telling her to cheer up and I really wanted to meet her and we decided to meet in the evening near Reagal in Colaba.

When we walked towards Gateway of India, I had no idea what to say. I just started admiring this girl now. She is not even 20 years of age and was confidently walking with a man may be a beast who was forcing himself on her a few hours back. She started speaking to me. Now Vineesh you can tell me what ever you want to tell me. I just said I need to cry in your arms that is what I literally told her. Vineesh speak out you will definitely feel better. A girl who has not even completed 2 decades of her life in this world is explaining me what to be done. My respect for her started growing every minute I was spending with her. She suddenly became my friend, Philosopher, Guide and many more. More importantly she has just forgiven me for what I’ve done. I consider myself the luckiest guy in this world to sit with a girl and talk to her even after all the terrible thing I’ve done to her.

I was full of guilt and was getting unwell physically too. It is said if you are mentally disturbed, that can affect you physically too. This was actually happening to me. But I don’t know why I always felt better talking to her or being with her. I started finding excuses to be with her. Fever of the magnitude of 104 never stopped me from being with her. I never felt I was sick when I was with her. I started helping her with her college assignments. I started coding after 5 years just for her. I read all programming and networking books available and started making her project. I don’t know why I was doing this. Riya used to chat with her BF on skype. I still used to work for her whole nights. May be I was getting too much obsessed with programming language or my guilt was making me do even though I know she is chatting with her BF while I burn mid night oils.

Things were getting back to normal, she had forgiven me and things were getting smooth and I don’t know what happened to me. I repeated the mistake again. This time I again forced myself on her. What is wrong with me? I ran away from her. You can commit a mistake and say sorry, but what do u say to her after repeating the same. To my surprise, she was much mature than what I thought, she was. Next time when we met her eyes told me to stay away from her. I just couldn’t do that. I told her I love her. I told her I love her because I love her and not because I love her. What ever I told doesn’t make any sense. But matter of fact was that, she could understand my feeling and she understood what I was trying to convince. Last time I thought, I was the luckiest guy in the world, but now I know I’m most fortunate and luckiest guy in the entire universe. She is still in talking terms with me and I’ve become more sensible now. I never cared about her BF till now and I started asking more about him. To my surprise, he turns out to be one of my old friends.

I was blank for a minute and was really thinking Am I really a frustrated piece of shit? I’ve just done an unfaithful act to one of my friend. I wanted to run to my roommates and tell them everything, but somehow I couldn’t frame words. I tried calling my friends across the world, but again I couldn’t tell anything. In this city, Friends are Family. Nobody would believe I’ve done something like this. Vineesh could never do something like this. But the truth is that, I’ve committed this heinous crime, not once but twice.

She was missing her BF much more than ever and I wanted to do something for her. I asked her why we don’t go to Paris to meet her BF. She suddenly agreed. We booked our tickets to Paris and I had no idea what was in store for me in Paris.I never expected to meet a French-open player on my trip.

(To be continued….)

This story is inspired from real incidences, but is not based on any individuals living or dead. Any resemblance is purely coincidence

MOUSETRAP

(Ek Choti si ………)

I’m not a 16 year old kid to get into an online friendship, but somehow she was someone special. She was not my first online friend. From the time I started using internet I have been making lot of female friends around the globe. Two of them, one from Brazil and another from Germany top the list. I was just a kid then and now again why am I doing this? This time she is an Indian that too from one of the southern state. I just love chatting with her. When she asked for my mobile number, I didn’t know why I was so apprehensive about sharing my number. May be I’ve wasted some time not talking to her. I just don’t know what our relationship was. It was long distance relationship and has never met each other in person. When my mom told me my parents are visiting my cousin’s place in Mangalore without any second thought, I told her I’ll also join them. Travelling from Mumbai to Mangalore just for a day and that too I’ll be with my parents for just hours was a loss making proposition. They call me Suhas (3 idiot Fame) and some time I think, I’m like him, as I always have a profit and loss statement for everything. Why am I charting this loss making trip? Just to see my online friend? I have no answer for these questions but only thing I know was that I desperately want to meet her.

I’ve planned my trip in such a way that I reach Mangalore Airport by 6:30 in the morning and will spent the first half of the day with my online friend and will head towards my cousin’s house in the second half. I’ve already informed my parents that I’ll be reaching Mangalore only by 3 O’clock and is travelling by road. I started my day by giving lift to one of my friend on my way to Airport. That was just a gentleman’s gesture to give her a lift. I was so excited about my trip and just told her about my adventure. She was not talking much and was just listening. When she got out of the taxi only thing she told was “Fly Safe and Play Safe.” She just walked towards her power yoga class and disappeared behind the glass door. I was lost for a couple of seconds and by the time a guy was standing near my taxi and asked me can I give him a lift till Airport and I agreed. We continued our journey towards Airport and suddenly I asked the guy sitting next to me, how he knew I was going to Airport. He was in his early 30s and a very enthusiastic guy. I just heard your girlfriend saying “Fly Safe and Play Safe”. Oh!! She is not my Girl friend. I just should not have talked to this guy this much. He took it from there and was talking, talking and talking. He told me my friend may not be my GF but her eyes say she has some feeling for me and blah blah blah. He was shifting from different topics to topics. Only thing I could recollect was that he was a Gujarati and a diamond merchant. Before leaving to different terminals he just handed over me his Visiting Card. His Business Card was as funny as him. It was blue in colour and in diamond shape. He has managed to incorporate his entire CV into this small blue coloured diamond shaped Visiting Cards.

Even after getting inside the flight, I was thinking of my friend’s comment of “Flying safe and playing it safe”. My journey has just begun. The seating arrangement in these low cost airlines is worse than the congested seating arrangement of Buses in Himachal. I was squeezed between a doctor and a middle aged woman who was a first time traveller. The doctor was talking to be like I was his long lost friend. There was another funny character who was sitting in the next seat. He might be 90 kgs and may be 5 feet tall and resembled Spin bowler Ramesh Powar with his sunglasses. What is wrong with this guy? Why is he wearing a Sunglass inside the flight? May be his appearance was not enough for the day, he started acting strange. He took out his Chinese make mobile handset and started clicking pictures of the Airhostess. He was enjoying the pictures he has taken in his pink coloured handset. Bare legs of the airhostess were captured professionally as if he was a professional photographer for some adult magazine. The lady sitting next to me doesn’t understand Hindi or English and could only speak Kannada. I had a tough time in convincing her to wear the seat belt, which was inturn done by the airhostess. The flight is to take off and now the lady wants something from the overhead cupboard and I couldn’t understand what she needs and neither was she able to explain me what she wants. I told her the flight is going to take off and cannot take anything now through sign language. Now she also used sign language to her benefit and conveyed me that she needs to throw up. Oh god! what more can I expect, I pulled out the paper bag for her and asked her to use the same. I was looking towards doctor’s side to avoid seeing her vomiting and doctor took it to his advantage and started talking to me about sea sickness and how he felt in his first international sea trip.

Most interesting thing I saw on this flight was the airhostess taking away the paper bag from the lady after she had done, with a smile on her face. Oh! God this is a tough job. I always associated airhostess to glamour, but now I can see customer service here.

What more I ask for? I was surrounded by classic kind of people. May be the long wait in the airport before boarding the flight or may be the strange people around me would have made me hungry. I was waiting for the flight attendants to bring the cold sandwiches they serve. I just couldn’t find any difference between these people and the chaiwala who comes inside the train. Both are having the same profile. Only relief for me for sometime is that the ever talking doctor is reading some magazine now and is not talking to me. When the flight attendant brought the sandwiches, I got one and paid her the money. I just inserted the balance amount returned to me in my wallet and started having my sandwich. Suddenly the doctor next to me became active and told me “You should never keep that in your wallet”. I didn’t understand what he was talking about. I just looked at him with more curiosity. He adjusted his sitting position in such a way that he can look into my eyes while he speaks. “There are chances, that it get damaged and the protection will never be a protection anymore.” That was too much for me to handle and I asked him what he was talking about. “Never keep condoms in your wallet; there is a high risk of it getting damaged.” How the hell do you know that I keep my condoms in my wallet? “I just saw the blue coloured thing when you were paying for the sandwich”. Oh! God, he had mistaken the diamond shaped visiting card as a condom packet. I wanted to correct him but then I thought that, I will have to narrate the story of how I got this card. Better keep quite. Now some strange feeling, hit me, why am I not carrying one?

The first thing I did after reaching Mangalore airport was to text my online friend that I’ve landed and asked her to text me back, where I can meet her. She texted me back asking me to meet her in the beach. I took a taxi and headed towards the beach. When I saw a medical shop I asked my taxi driver to stop and collected a pack of condoms. The shop keeper was looking at me like I asked Samosa in KFC. May be the effect of doctor, I kept the pack in my bag rather than keeping it in my wallet. When I restarted my journey towards the beach I realized the fact that, I’ve not bought any gift for my online friend. At this hour of the day (6:30), where can I get a gift? If it was my Ex, I could have made it up with a Kiss, but for this first meeting may be I’ll have to think something else. I could get some flowers for her. I was looking for flowers on the roadside and by the time I reached the beach and I’m standing in the beach without any gift for my online friend.

I always loved Arabian Sea. I just started enjoying the sea breeze and sat down in the lonely beach. I was totally lost in my thoughts and was enjoying the sea. I turned back when someone called my name. I was totally taken back what I saw. Two school girls were standing in their School uniform, one of then resemble Sharanya, my online friend. I really wanted to ask her, is she Sharanya’s younger sister. She introduced me her friend Riya. I was in a shock state now; I came all the way to Mangalore to meet a school kid? I really didn’t know what I need to do now. These kids took me to the nearby restaurant for breakfast and they both went to the washroom and came out, after changing to casuals. Now at least it doesn’t look like I’m with school kids. We ordered breakfast and started talking. Why didn’t you tell me you are a school going kid? She was very fast in responding. I’m not a kid and in next April, I’ll be 18. Oh God! , I’m with a minor, may be with two. I wanted to get out here as soon as possible. But I cannot do this now, as I’ve already informed my cosine, I’ll be reaching by 3 O’ Clock. I thought, I can handle that but here, I’m playing with fire. Let me get out of trouble as soon as possible.

I told Sharanya, that I’ve to go my cosine’s place urgently as there is an emergency. I told her I’ll call her and literally ran away from that place to my cosine’s house. On my way to my cosine’s place, I opened my bag and took the condom packet to crush and threw it into the dustbin. I was feeling so guilty of my action and was thinking why I couldn’t understand she was a School kid and not a doctor as she had told me.

I received an SMS from sharanya saying she misses me and had planned the entire day with me. I deleted the message and while walking I told to myself, she is going to miss me for ever. My mobile again received a message, this time from an unknown no. That was again a miss-you message but this time from Riya. I have no idea why I didn’t delete that message. The packet I wanted to crush went inside my bag again.

SHIBBOLETH

(Ind vs Pak 2011) Vs (Ind Vs Pak 1971)

I was walking with her in the suburbs of Mumbai. I met her in the Blue Frog pub yesterday night and was with her the whole night. I don’t remember her name now. May be that was not important as I may not meet her again, but why did I come all way with her to her home? Before reaching her home, I asked her, can I make a leave and she agreed. I started walking back. Only thing I can recollect about her was that she works for an IT firm in a Middle management role. The hot sun has made me very thirsty. I got into the nearest restaurant. It was written “Nair Tea Shop”. Great I’m in a mallu restaurant. Even if they make it to a star hotel, they will name it “5 star Tea Shop”. What the hell is gong on? The restaurant is whole empty. I just got a strange feeling now. The roads were also not crowded and there was no auto or taxi that’s why we were walking to her home. What is happening? The answer was simple and the TV in the tea shop told me the reason. It’s Ind Vs Pak Semi-final Match in ICC world Cup. Oh shit! How could I forget the high voltage game? I moved to a table which gave me the best view of the TV. There was an old man already sitting there and reading newspaper. He was not interested in the whole WC thing. Curiosity was the only reason that, I started conversing with him. Uncle, are you not interested in Ind Vs Pak high Voltage clash? This is almost like a war uncle, how can you not watch this match? Do you call this a war? His voice was strong and clear. He picked up his words slowly but put it forth in great confidence and comfort. War was what I experienced in 1971. He started narrating a story from his memories. I was not at all interested and was looking at the screen and was catching the action live. Some how his story started creating interest in me and I completely forgot I was watching India Vs Pakistan SF.

Story narrated by him in his own words was as below.

I was in my college when I experienced one of the shortest wars in the world History. Those 13 days was like 13 long years. I still could recollect every moment of those days. Mumbai the financial capital of the nation was on high alert. Everything in the city suddenly took a back seat. This city which never slept suddenly adjusted to a blackout as soon as the sun sets. It was not just the condition of Mumbai, but every other city in the nation. We were provided with black paints to paint our window panes black so as that the enemy fighter planes have no clue about the city. That was a horrible black out, not the one hour earth hour we celebrate now-a-days. We were really tensed to the core of our bones. No one dared to even switch on a single bulb whose light could be seen from outside. I remember the army men knocking my, door in the night because I switched on the light when I went for a loo break. They were just yelling at me to close the light or black out the glasses of my bathroom. They were not even sleeping and patrolling all night to see everything is right. It was really horrifying.

Most horrifying day of the war was when we where all pushed to a basement by the army. I just don’t know who all were with me in the basement. It was totally dark out there. The army people just pushed as all inside the basement as there was a bomb threat that night. We were all terrified and were not even talking to each other. Our eyes got adjusted to the lights and now we could see all those shadow images. There were about 50 of us. There were kids, mothers, dads, brothers, sisters and many more. They were not even speaking a word, or are they were all strangers brought together under a roof. I had no idea, but some how a pregnant women caught my attention. She was wearing a scarf over her head, but even in the dark I could figure out she was beautiful. Tension was building up in everybody’s head. No one was talking anything. We could hear the marching boots of army persons on the road. We have no idea how much time we would have sat there speechless, may be 30 min or so. It was too much for me. I was feeling suffocated in the closed basement with 50 terrified people around me. I stood up and asked anyone wants water and everyone started looking at me as if I asked them they wanted Rat Poison. After a brief pause of about 20 seconds the pregnant woman raised her hand and signalled she wanted water. I went out of the basement to get water. While I was going out to get water I could read everyone’s eyes even in the darkness. Their eyes were telling me not to go out, but everyone was so terrified that no words came out of their mouths.

I drank some water and bought some for the lady and helped her drink. She said thank you, which was the first human voice I’ve heard in last 30-40 mins. May be to make the situation better, I started small talks with her. She told her name was Sabeena and was a Mallu and came to Mumbai with her Abba Jan 5 years back. She was married to a trader. We both were talking, but everyone present was listening to us. Even though she was speaking in lowest of her voice, due to the pin drop silence, everyone could hear her. Our conversation was cut short by a blast noise which made everyone one of us close their ears and eyes. Still in the shock of the blast noise, I heard something horrible spoken by Sabeena. “ Ya Alla Dilli mai bomb girade lakin Lahore ko bacalo“ (Oh! God, let the bombs be dropped in Delhi but save Lahore). Till now I was enjoying her company and making small talks with her and suddenly I wanted to kill her. I wanted to throw her out of the basement. I would have done that if she was not pregnant. She repeated the sentence again and again. Like me everyone in the basement was angry with her and would have ripped her apart if she was not carrying. It was too much for everyone when she repeated it again. Everyone shouted at her and made her silent. I had a tough time in controlling my anger towards her as well as controlling the angry crowd.

I slowly went near her and sat with her. I asked her, why she was making such stupid statement. This is a war and Pak is our enemy. Why the hell does u want Lahore to be saved? If you think, Pak is the country of your religion, why didn’t you guys migrate during independence? Now be loyal to the nation that feeds you. She started crying. I didn’t want much trouble in the basement and started consoling her. She was sobbing over my shoulder and told me her husband is a Pak national and is staying in Lahore. I love my nation, but I’m also a mother. I don’t want to give birth to a fatherless child. My husband has been with me for hardly one week and went back to Pakistan. He never returned back. I still couldn’t understand the logic behind her words. May be I cannot understand a woman who is a wife and a mother to be. What ever happens, I’ll never forget that night and those words spoken by her.

I was in contact with her after that and she raised her child as a single mother. She had no idea about her husband. Was he killed in the war or he never returned. That remained a question unanswered. Her son grew to a handsome looking young man and joined Indian army and went on to fight his father’s nation in Kargil war. May be he did that for those words spoken by her mom on 1975 war. God was not kind to him and took one of his legs. It was a sacrifice by the brave son of the soil for the words spoken by his mother many years back when he was inside her womb.

He was going on and on, speaking his mind out. Then I noticed the cashier of the restaurant coming out of counter, limping with the help of a stick. I looked at the old man who was narrating the story to me. He just looked at me and told you guessed it right and started sipping his tea and went back to his newspaper. By the time the first innings got over and I rushed out to my home to catch the 2^nd innings. On my way back to home, I was thinking about the horrifying experience of one of the smallest war in the world history. Now I know what it would mean to be a war.

May be because of my MBA background, some thing strange struck my mind. Whose Tea shop was that? Does it belong to the man who narrated the story to me or does it belong to Sabeena’s son? Was it a business tactics to give a Hindu name to a Muslim owned restaurant? May be a great idea to capitalize on the customer segment he caters to. I’m sure, will be going back to that place again in search of many answers.

ATHIRATHRAM

Bird (Garuda) Shaped Altar

It was a bright morning today. Everything was happening as it was supposed to happen, but still I was feeling a headache. I had a bad dream yesterday night. Only thing I could recollect from it was fire. I have no idea why I’m trying too much to remember that dream. I’ve found no luck till now, but that has resulted in my headache. It was a regular day in office till I just walked past my colleague who was in her notice period. She was reading something and I casually asked about it. She was so pumped up and told me she was reading about Athirathram, one among 7 somayagam (Starts with fire and ends with fire). She told me that it is again happening in Panjal, a small village in Kerala. She told that last time it happened in 1975 at the same place and this place was selected again due to its perfect geographical location. Athirathram is for universe peace. There are only two people in Namboodiri Brahmins community who knows how to perform this ritual. Both of them are aged more than 75. She was giving me more and more details like that, but some how I couldn’t give much ear to her. I have an aggregated headache now, I could see fire all around, I was sweating, I felt like a very bright flash of light getting into my eyes. I almost lost consciousness and some how I found a chair nearby and sat there. I had some water and I’m feeling good now. I just have no idea what was wrong with me, but I was visualizing something and I could correlate the same with the dream I was trying to memorize. I’m still sweating and decided to take a half day off and go home. Once I reached home first thing I did was switch on my laptop and read more about Athirathram.

I knew, Athirathram had something to do with my dream. I never believed in re-birth or something like that. I read a lot about Athirathram to be conducted in Panjal (April 4^th-15^th 2011). Did I read too much about it and fell asleep? I might be, that is why I’m visualizing the same dream again. Yes! this is the same old man whom I saw in my dream last night. Oh! God this man is talking to me. If I’m not dreaming, then I’m living my dream. I suddenly felt fire all around my flat and I closed my eyes and opened it, in order to prove myself that I’m not in a dream. I may not be in a dream but there is an Old man standing next to me just wearing a white dhoti. What is this man who speaks Malayalam doing in my Mumbai Flat? He told me that, he had a story to be told to the world. Ok fine, then why are you here? Go call a press conference and talk to them and for God’s sake get out of my apartment. My shouting had done no good. He just sat besides my bed; he told me to be relaxed and will go away once he was done with his story. I just looked at this man. He was leaner than Gandhiji. Kareena would have envied him for his size zero. He was in his 70s and his white hair was neatly oiled and combed. I didn’t know why I was doing, I offered him a drink and he just told me to be seated and just listen to his story. Every word that came out of him was so expressive and I just could visualize what he was speaking. Story expressed in his words.

My name is Shivshankaran and this is the story that changed my life or destroyed my life. This incident happened in 1975. I was working in Mumbai then. When I heard Athirathram is happening in my home town and this time it will be filmed and studied by scientists all over the world. I was so excited and wanted to study how it rained in the end. I was sure that Rain in Kerala that too in April is never happening. I interrupted him and asked why are you telling me all these things, he only answered that our frequencies match. He told me that that he tried doing the same yesterday night when I was asleep and didn’t work the way it was supposed to happen. I was in my thoughts, which mean this old man was in my room yesterday and was talking to me and I was not dreaming about it. He asked me not to interrupt and listen to him and ask my doubts in the end. He continued his story.

When I reached my home town to volunteer for the function I was so excited and happy to get this chance. After working for entire night for preparing the bird shaped Altar for the Yaga, I took a shortcut to my home to catch some sleep. I had to walk by a haunted house before I reach my home and I saw some light and heard some one talking inside. I decided to decode what was happening there and slowly moved towards the house and put my ears over the gap between the window panes. It was surprising to know that it was a team of scientists planning for an artificial rain to promote the Yaga. They just wanted to prove their point of coming here from their respective countries spending lot of money. I couldn’t digest the fact that these bustards are here for the sake of science and have no belief in our rituals and is planning something like this. I just broke open the door and went inside and kicked the table in which they have kept their drinks and was discussing. That was the last time my memory was stable, I felt as if something hard hitting back of my head. I fell down and lost consciousness. When I got back my consciousness, I was in a lab like setup tied to a pillar. I saw few white guys busy in some scientific experiments. The fumes of chemical experiments were getting deep into my nose. I tried hard to get myself free and may be God was in my side, I was successful in getting my left hand free. I just checked the date in my newly bought watch. Oh God I was laying in this state for last 3 days and the Ahirathram has already reached its third day. Suddenly I saw a man standing in front of me with a syringe and he just injected some drug into me. I again lost my consciousness. They gave me food and I was their prisoner for next few days. I cried shouted and tried all my luck to get out of this house or get some help. It looked as if my fate was already sealed and nothing went my way.

I wanted to stop these people from creating artificial rain. It was the D-day when all were ready to do their experiment and create an artificial rain. I got some consciousness and to my surprise I couldn’t see anyone in the lab. I tried to extend my legs as much as I can and I started kicking a table nearby. This helped me to break some test tubes and beakers and it has created a fire with some unknown chemical reaction. Slowly and suddenly the entire room was in fire. I was going to die here burning, but I was happy I derailed the plan of artificial rain. I tried hard and some how managed to get my hands free. I scrolled out of the house just before the house collapsed and was completely eaten up by fire. That was the 12^th day (last day) of Athirathra and I could see smoke going up the sky as the result of burning the Yagasala to mark the end of the ritual. I was lying down unable to move and saw an eagle with white ring around its neck flying over the fire. It was a clear sky. I was successful in derailing the project for artificial rain, but what will happen to the belief of the fellow citizen who was expecting down pour. The sky was so clear that for next one month it is not going to rain. It was paining too much and I tried to stand up and suddenly I felt darkness all over. What is happening where did these dark clouds come from? It started raining like rainy season. I just lay down there and enjoyed every bit of the rain. I tried to keep my eyes open but I couldn’t.

I just couldn’t believe any of this what this old man just told me. I stood up and started making tea for us. Now what do you want me to do? He smiled and told me it was 35 years back now it’s your turn, come to Panjal in April 2011. What the Fuck? I just turned around and couldn’t believe myself. There was no one around and I was all standing alone in my kitchen. I was speechless and couldn’t wait till April and I booked next flight to Cochin and reached panjal which was 110 Km away from the Airport. With the little details I had, I zeroed down on Shivsankaran’s house. When I reached there, his daughter welcomed me in and offered me coffee. Her husband asked me why I wanted to meet his father-in-law. I had no answers and just told that he was my grand father’s friend. Even though he was not convinced he took me inside his house. He led to a room where there was a bed-ridden old man. This is the same man who was talking to me in Mumbai few hours back. His daughter told me, he was bedridden after a fire accident 35 years back. He is in coma and cannot talk. Doctors say he can understand what we speak and he can only move his eye lids.

I had no idea what was happening and what did he mean by matching frequencies. Was he talking to me through telepathy or was it just a dream and a mere coincidence? I have no answers to these questions and would have to wait till April 2011 till I get some clue.

Facts About Athirathram

I started collecting details about athirathram and I have just collated the details which can be used for your reference. They say if you copy from one it is Plagiarism, but mine is called research as I’ve copied from many.

The most important concept of human race, when it all started was Hunger. That hunger for food developed mind in human race. Then it became life and words. Explosion of words became the universe. Vedas are written with the letters of this cycle of events which contribute the creation of life. Vedas are the science of Nature and source of Dharma. The God who lives in us will know the effect of veda recitation. The one who knows this will have no difference between me and the one who is not me. With these precise Mandra’s perfected voice we present the offerings to Agni which we have woken up to perfection, these will energise the veins of nature. Mahershis found out this and named it Yaga. Athirathram is one among the 7 somayagam. Some hidden stars have made this place so perfect for the yaga, Suka Maharshi (Suka Jathi Sthri), the son on Vyasa have meditated in this very place. Thus Panjal has and will witness many more maha yagas like this.

Wikipedia suggests the following explanation about Athirathram.

The Atiratra Agnicayana (ati-rātrá agní-cayana)( "the building up of the fireplace performed over-night") or Athirathram (Malayalam: അതിരാത്രം); the piling of the altar of Agni is a Śrauta ritual of the Vedic religion, the predecessor of modern day Hinduism which is considered to be the greatest ritual as per the Vedic ritual hierarchy. It is also the world's oldest surviving ritual. Its mantras and theological explanations in the Brahmana texts are first attested in the Yajurveda Samhitas (Taittiriya, Kathaka; Vajasaneyi). The practice of this ritual was generally discontinued among Brahmins by the late Vedic period, during the rise of Jainism and Buddhism in India. Nevertheless, a continuous, unbroken 3,000 year tradition has been found to exist among a few Nambudiri Brahmin families in Kerala, South India.

The entire ritual takes twelve days to perform, in the course of which a great bird-shaped altar, the uttaravedi "northern altar" is built out of 10,800 bricks. The liturgical text is in chapters 11 to 18 of the White Yajurveda; the corresponding exposition of the ritual is in Books 6 to 9 of the Shatapatha Brahmana. The original essence and purpose of the ritual is not correctly known. But, the immediate practical purpose of the Agnicayana is to build up for the sacrificer an immortal body that is permanently beyond the reach of the transitoriness, suffering, and death that, according to this rite, characterize man's mortal existence.

The ritual emerged from predecessor rituals, which were incorporated as building blocks, around the 10th century BC, and was likely continuously practiced until the late Vedic period, or the 6th century BC. In post-Vedic times, there were various revivals of the practice, under the Gupta Empire in the north (ca. 4th to 6th century), and under the Chola Empire in the south (ca. 9th century), but by the 11th century, the practice was held to have been discontinued; except for the Nambudiris of Kerala.

To observe the ritual, goat sacrifice is essential. Since, animal sacrifice is frowned upon by the Hindu society since the end of Vedic age and is a punishable offense in modern India. All documented Agnicayanas have been performed without this and may be deemed incomplete.

In 1975 Indologist Frits Staal documented in great detail the performance of an Agnicayana conducted performed by Nambudiri Brahmins according to Samaveda tradition at Panjal, Kerala. The last performance before that had been in 1956, and the Nambudiris were concerned that the ritual was threatened by extinction. It had never before been observed by outsiders. In exchange for a financial participation of the scholars towards the cost of the ritual, the Nambudiris agreed that it should be filmed and recorded. The ritual was performed from 12 to 24 April 1975. An effigy was used to symbolize the goat sacrifice. Staal (1989) bases a general analysis of the similarities of grammar and ritual on this performance.

The preparation for Athiratram takes about six months, and involves making a large number of mud vessels and wooden items. Athirathram is performed by one person, while 40 others assist him.

Panjal Athirathram 2011 will be led by Puthillathu Ramanujan Somayajippadu as 'Yajamanan' and Dhanyapathanadi as 'Yajamanapathni' and marked by the participation of hundreds of vedic scholars from all around the country.

Interestingly this ritual will be performed after 35 years and involves the chanting of selected mantras from three vedas -- Rig veda, Yagur veda and Sama veda, the last three days of the rituals will go on non-stop for 72-hours, with each priest getting a break of barely 30 minutes.

The Yajurveda and Samaveda practices that precede the Athirathram have begun at the Panjal Thottathil Mana and Kavupra Maarath Mana. Preparations for the Panjal Athirathram 2011 began after obtaining consent from Shukapuram temple, as called for by tradition.In 1975 Athirathram, a 12 day ritual was performed at Panjal(the same location), Kerala by Namboothiri Bramhins according to Samaveda tradition.

After a gap of 35 years, Athirathram will be held at the sleepy hamlet of Panjal in Thrissur district of Kerala, in April 2011.The choice of Panjal as the venue for Athirathram 2011 is also in line with geographic and vaastu principles. The yagnashala (where the ceremonies will be performed) is uniquely positioned to imbibe the energy of the sun, which has made Panjal the venue for almost all key yagnas held in Kerala in the past. The rituals will begin every day with the vedic chantings and homas. On the last four days, the rituals would be held throughout the day and night without any break.The expenses are estimated to touch Rupees 10 million and the organisers are expecting at elast 15,000 people to witness the rituals daily.People of all religious belief can participate in the Athirathram .The organisers are also planning to approach the scientific community to study the various effects of the ritual on the atmosphere and the surroundings.1975 Athirathram performance was instigated by the Indologist Dr. Frits Staal of the University of California and by Mr. Robert Gardner, with support from several international agencies.

The official website on Athirathram described that, the Vedic rituals have come down to human beings in two broad types-the Grhya and the Srauta. The former is concerned with rites of an individual, such as the Upanayana or Marriage. The later on the other hand, is solemn and exalted, show casing in oral tradition the great learning of the Sruti literature, comprising, in other words, the three Vedas- Rig, Yajur and Sama and their ancillary texts. The Grhya system is still in existence almost all over India, whereas, the Srauta type has survived in only few isolated pockets of Brahman groups.

The two Vedic Scholars primarily responsible for the 1975 performance were Brahmasree Muttathukattu Mammunnu Itti Ravi (undisputed master of the Jaiminiya Samaveda) and Brahmasree Cherumukku Vaidikan Vallabhan Somayajipad or CV (occupies a central position in the ritual realm of the Rig-Veda and Yajurveda). Frits Staal who is currently Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and South and Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley succeeded in preserving this ritual. He was responsible for organizing and recording the ritual in detail with the help of grants and donations from Harvard, the Smithsonian Institution, The Rock Foundation and others. Seventeen priests are required for performing the `Agni`. The course of time is 12 days.

The First day begins with the Yajamana and his priests entering the ritual enclosure carrying three sacred fires in pots. The main ritual vessel is prepared from clay. A symbolic animal sacrifice would be performed for Vayu. After selection of five chief priests fire is produced by friction. This is followed by tying a turban around the head of Yajamana. He is protected by a golden breast plate, is given a staff and closes his fists and deprived of speaking (except for recitations), from bathing etc. The Yajamana picks up the main ritual vessel filled with fire, and takes three steps with it. On the Second day another ritual pot, also made of clay is prepared. A sacrificial pole is made on the Third day. The measurements of the Mahavedi and of the bird-shaped offering altar are laid out. On the Fourth day among others, the Indra God is invited to attend the ritual. Seeds are sown in the plowed ground and the main ritual vessel of the first day is buried. Construction of the bird shaped altar is started. From Fifth day to Seventh day, after the morning activity, subsequent layers of the altar are laid on each day. The evening activity follows. On the Eighth day in addition to the normal ritual of the day, the fifth layer is laid. Then the Yajamana wishes the bricks to turn into cows. Offerings are made to Rudra. On the Ninth day, the implements used in the process are putdown on the new altar in the shape of a man .The Agni from new domestic altar is installed on the new offering altar. Long continuous oblation of ghee is made followed by other oblation and offerings. The hall of recitation is made .The symbolic animal sacrifice is performed. The ceremonies from Tenth day up to the dawn of twelfth day will continue throughout out the next two days and nights. On the tenth day some priests including Yajamana crawl in snake like procession on to altar for offering. Numerous rites are performed simultaneously. Fires are installed in hearths in the recital hall also. Symbolically eleven animals are sacrificed. On the twelfth day the Yajamana and his wife take “Avabhratha bath” followed by a symbolic sacrifice of goat. The Yajamana installs three fires on his home after returning to the home. He perform morning and evening Agnihothra for the rest of his life. Each day, the rituals vary. The major offerings to the sacrificial fire are Somarasa, the juice of Somalatha, an herbal plant plus dozens of other herbs. The fire is created by rubbing two pieces of wood, as detailed in ancient Vedic scriptures. No modern prop is used.

Athirathram is now being revived through a grand public event by “Varthathe Trust” formed by a group of like-minded individuals from India and abroad, cutting across different professions such as financial services (banking), advertising and law. Preparations are currently on for Athirathram. The Trust is based in Ottapalam, Palakkad district, Kerala. The Trust has been formed to serve the society at large by imparting and disseminating ancient Indian scientific and philosophical knowledge towards attaining unity, peace, prosperity and ultimate wisdom.

Athirathram is planned in Panjal from April 4-15, 2011. The training and rehearsals for the ritual are on-going. The Yajamana of the 2011 Panjal Agni will be “Putillattu Ramanajan Somayaji”. The ritual will be performed just as it was done 4000 years ago, with wooden vessels and bricks. No use of metal will be made. The Yajamana or the main conductor of Athirathram has gone through rigorous preparation prescribed for performance of Athirathram. The Adhvaryam of the Yajurveda in the ritual and the heaviest load will be borne by the Kapra family, the Hautram of the Rig-Veda is led by the Naras family and the Audgatram of the Samaveda in the ritual by Tottam.

Lakshmi Narayana Temple, Panjal, Thrissur, Kerala, India.

References: -

http://www.athirathram2011.com

http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/15/stories/2011021559340300.htm

http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=6625

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnicayana

http://manamlagaru.com/columnists.php?col_id=335