*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4 - Page 138

Vaanathai Pola 266

90 per cent or maybe even 99.9 per cent of humans would look at the case-file of Brigadier Rajashekar and think, ' maybe he was at the wrong place at the wrong time and was just plain unlucky.'

Some bold and intelligent ones might say, ' He is a brave soul and must have stepped in to stop some crime or probably intervened on behalf of some innocent person and was attacked.'

But then our story is not about the people who thought and spoke their opinions in the above lines for our story is about heroes, extraordinary people who will not hesitate to step into the line of fire and lay down their lives for truth, justice and to save lives. It is a dangerous world that we are living in today and I have said that many a time in my posts and I stress that very fact again. This world is a broken one and it somehow feels to my soul that it is slipping and sliding its way into the gutter hole of extinction.

The history of humans is regularly punctuated by killers who became kings, leaders and heads of religious movements and it is thus to this current day in the 21st century.

Between 1933 and 1945, until his suicide and in a span of 12 years Adolf Hitler slaughtered, murdered nearly 21 million people and among them were more than 1 million children and whose only fault was that they had been born a Jew. Please do not forget the millions more who died because of world war two that Hitler started and in the end, the death toll stood at 75 million.

75 million dead and all because of one man and his megalomania. I always stop, think and shake my head in wonder as to how a normal sane man could follow such a mad Bas..rd leave alone his country Germany, Italy, Japan that followed his lead and went to war.

If Hitler was not bad enough, Russia's leader Stalin took the cake and the bakery for he killed, nay murdered nearly 20 million people and the best part is those he murdered were all his countrymen.

But both Hitler and Stalin were outdone by Mao Zedong. From 1958 to 1962, his Great Leap Forward policy led to the deaths of up to 45 million people – easily making it the biggest episode of mass murder ever recorded.

Mao thought that he could catapult his country past its competitors by herding villagers across the country into giant people’s communes. In pursuit of a utopian paradise, everything was collectivised. People had their work, homes, land, belongings and livelihoods taken from them. In collective canteens, food, distributed by the spoonful according to merit, became a weapon used to force people to follow the party’s every dictate.

As incentives to work were removed, coercion and violence were used instead to compel famished farmers to perform labour on poorly planned irrigation projects while fields were neglected.A catastrophe of gargantuan proportions ensued. Extrapolating from published population statistics, historians have speculated that tens of millions of people died of starvation.

But the true dimensions of what happened are only now coming to light thanks to the meticulous reports the party itself compiled during the famine….

What comes out of this massive and detailed dossier is a tale of horror in which Mao emerges as one of the greatest mass murderers in history, responsible for the deaths of at least 45 million people between 1958 and 1962. It is not merely the extent of the catastrophe that dwarfs earlier estimates, but also the manner in which many people died: between two and three million victims were tortured to death or summarily killed, often for the slightest infraction. When a boy stole a handful of grain in a Hunan village, local boss Xiong Dechang forced his father to bury him alive. The father died of grief a few days later. The case of Wang Ziyou was reported to the central leadership: one of his ears was chopped off, his legs were tied with iron wire, a ten kilogram stone was dropped on his back and then he was branded with a sizzling tool – punishment for digging up a potato.

Poor Corona, you are nothing compared to Hitler, Stalin, Mao for you have claimed just 1.6 million souls till now and you are an innocent one when compared to these human villains who knew exactly what the consequences of their actions, thoughts and commands would be.

But, Covid-19 virus, you are but a cell sans, heart, brain, soul, God, Conscience and consciousness and you go about your life the way the almighty has designed you to do so and deal out death without any prejudice.

So, to me and in my mind, you are a much better creation than man and also nothing when compared to mass murderers that pass off as humans.

90 per cent or maybe even 99.9 per cent of humans would look at the case-file of Brigadier Rajashekar and think, ' maybe he was at the wrong place at the wrong time and was just plain unlucky.'

In the wrong place at the wrong time means in a situation where something bad happens to you because you are unlucky, not because you do anything wrong.

But, Brigadier Rajashekar's last thought before he fell into a coma and which was probably the thought that made him cling and hold on desperately to the edge of the chasm called life with his fingertips lest he fell into the darkness below called death.

That thought was not about the person he had trusted and mentored had betrayed him but that the person had turned traitor and had joined hands with sworn enemies of the nation.

Brigadier Rajashekars only thought was that he had been at the right place at the right time for he had been witness to something evil and treacherous and a plot that would destabilize India's security.

Alas, our hero Radhu's father, Rajashekar was dead wrong about the plot for it was not about India or its enemies but instead about the world and its very existence.

Rajashekar's only thought as he was stabbed multiple times on that dark rainy night just kms away from the Flock was to hang on to life and share what he had seen before he could cross over from life to death and to eternal peace.

Vaanathai Pola 267

The brain of a human is a strange organ in that it throws up miracles and googlies that only God can conjure and bowl at. Even victims of severe head trauma have recovered their memories or at least have recovered enough memory to carry on with their normal daily routine without any need for help.

Even patients suffering from an advanced state of Alzheimer's remember one or two things from the past and somehow seem to hold on to that and they do that because it is burnt, branded into the sheath of the brain and into the essence of the soul.

Rajashekar had come awake and had indeed recognized Shinogai and his sister Girija but his memories were still to a large extent disconnected and yet his lips suddenly started mumbling, ' Traitor, Traitor, Danger, Mother.'

Girija had heard her brother Raja mumble even while in Coma, the words, ' Mother and Danger' many a time, but had largely ignored them for she was more worried about his life and his recovery.

But now, both the women heard the words, ' Traitor, Mother, Danger' loud and clear and understood that Rajashekar was desperately trying to tell them something.

Radhu's mother Shinogai looked at Girija, Rajashekar's sister and said, ' Girijama, if Raja is trying to warn us about something even when his brain has yet to recover and is specifically using these words to convey what that message, then it must be something really important and urgent.'

Dr.Girija Padmanabhan, normally a cool and calm person revealed her frustration by exclaiming loudly, ' I really wish my little Raja could be clearer so that we can act on his words. But, what can we do and who do we turn to for help only with these words to follow up on.'

Far away from the city of Chennai and in the forests of Perumalvaram, Queen Malar sat in deep conversation with Dhana who looked at her with a kind smile on his lips as he contemplated on her question.

' Queen Malar, your question as to why Radha Krishnan was saved from death and brought back to life is a very pertinent and important one and it is something that both Buddha and I asked ourselves before we intervened.'

Queen Malar remained quiet and patiently waited for Dhana to answer for she knew from her many interactions with him that the first answer usually meant more contemplative answers and which in turn would reveal a lot more to what life and existence were all about.

Dhana Shekara Pandyan's smile slowly stretched wider as he began to answer Queen Malar's question.

' Queen Malar, there is that ancient saying by a great thinker, a saint, a poet who walked these lands and who managed that impossible feat of encapsulating the universe in a few lines and when compared to her, I am nothing and I mean that.'

Queen Malar nodded, ' Yes, my lord and I too share that thought with you when it comes to that thinker who was so far ahead of her times and whose words strike home and hard the simple truth.

' Yes, Queen Malar and using that great lady Auvayar's words, I give you one of the most important of her sayings and which is

Katrathu Kai Mann Azhavu, Kallathathu Ulagalavu.What one knows is only a handful, whereas the unknown is the size of the world.'

Malar looked at him with her own smile playing on her lips, ' My Lord, I know for a fact that you are the most powerful human being on this planet be it through your body or be it through your mind and yet here you are trying to give me the slip and making your escape with Auvaiyar's words.'

Dhana laughed and the forest fell silent and stood still for the laughter was like the roar of the lion and Buddha the lion jumped up from its sleep and mumbled, ' what, who, where?' and realizing that it was Dhana's laughter that had disturbed his sleep, mumbled some strange curse and flopped back to deep sleep.

Dhana reached over and gently tugged Buddha's tail and said, ' hey, you big fat kitten. Wake up and come up with an answer that will satisfy our queen here.'

Buddha lifted his huge maned head and glared at Dhana and then turning to Malar, said, ' He is not trying to evade your question queen and the truth is that he himself does not know the answer or at least the proper and complete answer.'

Queen Malar heard Buddha's voice in her head and looked at Dhana with total surprise, ' My king, if not you then who?'

Dhana Shekara Pandyan smiled and then again reached and tugged Buddha's tail but this time with more force and the lion jumped up angrily on all its four might paws and roared the answer, ' Azhagan. Only that King of all Kings knows the truth and the complete answer to your question for it is he who commanded me to restore the dead Radha Krishnan to life.'

Queen Malar nearly fell down from the shock, ' what? what do you mean our ancient king was the one? '

Buddha smiled, ' I mean exactly what I just said and I am sorry for that is all I know.'

Turning his face away angrily, Buddha the Lion walked away into the forest cursing loudly, ' What is this world coming to when the King of the jungle cannot take a decent nap without being bugged by all these strange and silly questions?'

When I was about 9 years old, I accompanied my father to the funeral of a friend of his, someone who I didn't even know.

When we got there, I stayed in a corner waiting for the time to pass.

Then a man approached me and said, 'Enjoy life kid, be happy because time flies. Look at me now, I didn't enjoy it.'

Then he passed his hand over my head and left.

My father, before leaving, forced me to say goodbye to the dead person.

When I looked in the coffin, I was horrified to see that the man in the coffin was the same man who had spoken to me!

I was so traumatised I couldn't sleep properly.

I had terrible nightmares. I was terrified of being alone.

I couldn't sleep without a night light for many years.

I saw many psychologists, endured much turmoil throughout my adolescent years.

It got better as I aged, but I would still occasionally wake up screaming in fear.

Years later, I discovered something incredible that changed my life...

*The dead idiot had a twin.*

A short story by Tamil writer Sujatha

ஸார்! நான் எஸ்.எஸ்.எல்.ஸி. வரைதான் படிச்சேன். அதற்கப்புறம் படிப்பு ஏறலே. நான் எங்கப்பாவுக்கு இரண்டாவது பையன். என் அண்ணா நல்ல

வேலையில் இருக்கான். படிச்சு நெட்டுருப் போட்டு, பரீட்சை எழுதிப் பாஸ் பண்ண எனக்குச் சிரத்தை இல்லை; பொறுமை இல்லை; வரலை.

அம்மா அப்பாவுக்குக் கவலையா இருந்தேன். எங்க குடும்பத்திலே சங்கீதம் கிடையாது. ஆரத்தி எடுக்கறபோதுகூட எங்கம்மா பாடினது கிடையாது.

எங்கப்பா நியூஸ் கேக்கறதுக்கு மட்டும்தான் ரேடியோவைத் திருப்புவார். அப்படி இருக்க எனக்கு எங்கேயிருந்து இந்த வாத்தியத்தின் மேலே மோகம்

வந்தது? அது ஆச்சர்யம்.

எனக்கு நன்னா ஞாபகம் இருக்கு... நியூஸூக்கு ஒரு நிமிஷம் பாக்கியிருக்கிறபோது ரேடியோவிலே ஒத்தை வீணை மட்டும் வெச்சான். அப்பதான்

தெளிவா எனக்கு ஆசை ஏற்பட்டுது. அது, ரஞ்சனி ராகம்னு கேள்விப்பட்டிருக்கேன்.

மறுநாள் உள்ளூர் ராமய்யங்காரிடம் போய், ''ஸ்வாமி! இந்த வீணை வாத்யம் கத்துக்கறதுக்கு எத்தனை நாளாகும்?''னு கேட்டேன்.

''யார் கத்துக்கணும்?'' என்று கேட்டார்.

''நான்தான்'' என்றேன்.

''முதல்லே நீ சிகரெட் குடிக்கிறதை நிறுத்தணும். வேஷ்டி கட்டிக்கொண்டு வரணும். வீணை தெய்விகமான வாத்யம். அதை அணுகறதுக்கு

முன்னாலே மனுஷனுக்குச் சுத்தம் வேணும்...'' அப்படி இப் படின்னு சொன்னார். மாசம் நாப்பது ரூபாய் கேட்டார்.

அப்பாகிட்டப் போய், ''அப்பா, நான் வீணை கத்துக்கலாம்னு இருக்கேன்''னேன்.

''போடா, போய் மளிகைக் கடையிலே பொட்டலம் மடி. செப்டம்பருக்குப் படிக்கத் துப்பில்லை. வீணை கத்துண்டு என்ன வெங்கடேச பாகவதருக்கு

சுருதி போடப் போறயா?'' என்றார்.

அண்ணாவுக்குக் கடிதம் எழுதினேன். ஐ.ஏ.எஸ். படிச்சுட்டு பீஹாரிலே என்னவோவா இருக்கான். ''உன் சகோதரன் போல நீயும் முன்னுக்கு

வரவேண்டாமா? இண்டஸ்ட்ரியல் டிரய்னிங் இன்ஸ்டிட்யூட்டிலே சேர்ந்து, ஏதாவது தொழில் கத்துக்கொள்ளேன். அதுக்கு வேணா பணம்

அனுப்பறேன்''னு பதில் எழுதி, நிறையப் பொன்மொழிகளும் எழுதி இருந்தான். 'சரி, தொழில் கத்துக்கறேன்; பணம் அனுப்பு'ன்னு எழுதினேன்.

பணம் அனுப்பலை. ஒரு அப்ளிகேஷன் ஃபாரம் அனுப்பினான்.

அம்மாகிட்ட கேட்டுப் பார்த்தேன். ''என்கிட்ட ஏதுடா காசு? ஒண்ணு செய்யேன். ஏதாவது வேலை பார்த்துக்கொள். அதிலே வர காசை நீ ஒண்ணும்

எங்க கிட்டே கொடுக்க வேண்டாம்'' என்றாள். வேலையாவது கிடைக்கிறதாவது!

தைரியமா ஒரு காரியம் செஞ்சேன். ஒரு காயலான் கடையிலே எங்க வீட்டுச் சைக்கிளை வித்துட் டேன். திரும்பி வந்து அப்பா கிட்ட, மைதானத்திலே

சைக்கிள் தொலைந்து போய்விட்டதுன்னு சொன்னபோது அவருக்கு ரொம்பக் கோபம் வந்துட் டுது. நான் சொல்றது பொய்னு அவருக்குச் சந்தேகம்.

''வா, போலீஸ்லே போய்க் கம்ப்ளெய்ண்ட் கொடுக்கலாம்''னார். ஜாஸ்தி பொய் சொல்ல வரலை. இன்ஸ்பெக்டர் கேள்வி கேட்கக் கேட்க, எனக்குக்

கழண்டு போச்சு.

அப்பா ''எங்கேடா காசு?'' என்றார். பனியனுக்குள்ளே இருந்து எடுத்துக் கொடுத்தேன்.

''எதுக்குடா வித்தே?'' என்றார்.

''வீணை வாங்க'' என்றேன்.

அப்பா போலீஸ் ஸ்டேஷனிலே என்னை அடிக்கலை. வீட்டுக்கு வந்ததும் அடிச்சார். அம்மா தடுத்து, ''அவனுக்கு வர மாசிக்கு இருபது வயசாகப் போறது. அவனை அடிச்சா ஏதாவது ஒண்ணு கிடக்க, ஒண்ணு ஆய்டும். பேசாம விட்டுடுங்களேன். கத்துக்கட்டுமே! அவனுக்குப் புத்தி அதிலேதான் போறதோ என்னவோ'' என்றாள்.

''அப்பா, என்னை அடிக்க உங்களுக்கு உரிமை இருக்கு. நான் உங்க ளுக்கு உபயோகமில்லாம சுமையா இருக்கேன். ஆனா, நீங்க இந்தக் காசை கடன்

மாதிரி எனக்குக் கொடுங்க. மாசாமாசம் கணக்கு வெச்சுக்குங்க. எப்படியாவது பிற்காலத்திலே சம்பாதிச்சு உங்களுக்குத் திருப்பிக் கொடுத்து

விடுகிறேன்'' என்றேன்.

அப்பா சிரித்தார். அப்பாவையும் குற்றம் சொல்ல முடியாது. மூத்த பையன் வசதி வந்ததும், அப்பா அம்மாவை மறந்துட்டான். சௌக்கியமா

சௌக்கியமான்னு கடுதாசி எழுதுறானே ஒழிய, காசா, பணமா... ம்ஹும்! நான்தான் இருக்கவே இருக்கேன். நாங்க மூணு பேரும் அப்பா

பென்ஷனிலே வாழணும். அதனாலே எப்படியாவது என்னை ஒப்பேத்தி விடணும்னு ஆசைப்படறார். நானானால் வீணை வாசிக்கணும் என்கிறேன்!

அப்புறம், ராமய்யங்கார் கிட்ட அப்பா பேசி, அதட்டி கிதட்டி மாசம் இருபத்தஞ்சு ரூபாய்க்குச் சம்மதிக்க வைத்தார். நான் வீணை கத்துக்க

ஆரம்பிச்சேன். இதுலே பாருங்க ஸார்... என்னுள்ளே ஒரு புயல் இருந்து, அதற்கு வெளியே வர ஒரு வாய்ப்பு கிடைச்சாப்பலே ஆய்டுத்து. நான் ஆரம்பிச்ச

விதமே தப்பு. எனக்கு வாத்தியம் கையாளத் தொடங்கின வெள்ளிக்கிழமை ஞாபகம் இருக்கு. வாத்தியத்தை விழுந்து சேவிக்கச் சொன்னார். 'மாய

மாளவ கௌள'வின் சுரங்களை எல்லாம் புள்ளி வெச்சு மார்க் போட்டிருந்தது. அந்த வீணையிலே ராமய்யங்கார் இதுதான் 'ஸ'ன்னு தட்டினார். என் கை

விரலை மடக்கி அழுத்தி நாதம் பண்ணச் சொன்னார். எப்படி அழுத்தறதுன்னு தெரிஞ்சப்புறம், இரண்டு சுரம் பிசிறில்லாமல் சுத்தமாகக் கேட்டப்புறம்,

எனக்குச் சைக்கிள்லே பாலன்ஸ் கிடைச்சாப்பலே ஆய்டுத்து. அதையே 108 தடவை வாசிக்கச் சொல்லிட்டுப் பின்கட்டுப் பக்கம் போனார். அவர் போன

உடனே மற்ற சுரங்களைத் தேட ஆரம்பிச்சேன். அந்தப் பெரிய கம்பியைத் தட்டிப் பார்த்தேன். அதிலே ஒரு ஸ்வரத் தைப் பிடித்துக்கொண்டேன். அது இனிமையா இருந்தது.

திரும்பி வந்த வாத்தியார் கேட்டுண்டே வந்தார். கோபித்துக் கொண்டார். 'நிதானம் வேணும். சாதகம்கிறது இந்த மாதிரி கன்னா பின்னா என்று

தேடித் தேடி வாசிக்கிறதில்லை'ன்னு சொல்லி, சங்கீதத்திலே இருக்கிற ஆதார சுரங்களைப் பத்திச் சொன்னார். அஸ்திவாரம் கட்டறதைப் பத்திச்

சொன்னார். பொறுமை வேணும் என்றார்.

எனக்குப் பொறுமை இல்லை. அதுதான் என் கிட்டே இருந்த தவறு. அந்தச் சரளி ஜண்ட வரிசைகளையும் வர்ணங்களையும் நிதானமா பொம்மனாட்டி

மாதிரி ஒவ்வொரு தடவையும் தாளக் கம்பிகளைச் சிதற அடிச்சுண்டு வாசிச்சுப் பழகப் பொறுமையில்லை. ஏதோ நாளன்னிக்குச் செத்துப் போய்விடப் போகிறேன், அதுக்குள்ள இந்த வாத்யத்தைக் கரை காண வேணும்ங்கறாப்போல அவசரம். நோட்டிலே எழுதி நெட்டுருப் போட முடியல்லை. அவரோட

சேர்ந்து வாசிக்க முடியல்லை.

இரண்டு மாசம் பார்த்தார். எங்கப்பாவைக் கூப்பிட்டார். சொன்னார்... ''உங்க பையனுக்குக் கட்டுப்பாடு கிடையாது. அவனுக்குச் சங்கீதம் வராது ஸ்வாமி, உங்க பணம் வேஸ்ட்!''

எனக்கு அழுகை வந்தது. அப்படிச் சொன்னதால் இல்லை. என்னை வீணை வாத்யத்திலிருந்து பிரிச்சுப்புட்டார். என் விரல் பழகறதுக்கு முன்னே, என்

மனசிலே வடிவம் வடிவமா இருக்கிற ஆசைகள் எல்லாம் விரல் வழியா ரூபம் பெறுவதற்கு முன்னாலே என்னைப் பிரிச்சுட்டார்.

அப்பதான் எனக்கு வேலை கிடைச்சுது. அதுவும் அப்பாவினாலேதான். உள்ளூர் கோ-ஆபரேடிவ் ஸ்டோர் பிரஸிடெண்ட்டைத் தெரியும். அதிலே ஒரு கிளார்க்குக்கு டைபாய்ட் வந்து ரெண்டு மாசம் லீவ் போட்டிருந்தான். அந்த லீவ் வாகன்ஸியில் எனக்கு மன்றாடிக் கிடைச்சது. கிலோ 4-66 பைசா மேனிக்கு

6 கிலோ 75 கிராம்னு டெஸிமல் கணக்குப் போட ஆரம்பிச்சேன். எழுதறபோது ஆறு அஞ்சு முப்பது, ஆறு ஏழு நாப்பத்திரண்டுனு பெருக்கல் மெதுவா

மெதுவா ராகமா மாறும். மாறி மனசில் சஞ்சாரம் பண்ணும். அந்தப் பெயரில்லாத, நம்பரில்லாத வடிவங்களைத் தேடுவேன். கணக்கிலே நிறையத் தப்புப் பண்ணி ராத்திரி 9.30 வரைக்கும் கூட்டிக் கழித்தும் சரியா வராது. அவாளுக்குப் பொறுமை இழந்து போக, எனக்கு வேலை போச்சு! அப்புறம் நானே சொந்த முயற்சியா முனிஸிபாலிடி சேர்மன் கிட்ட போய்க் கெஞ்சிக் கேட்டு, அவர் ஓனராக இருக்கும் பெட்ரோல் பங்க்கில் கணக்கு எழுதற வேலை கிடைச்சது.

மறுபடி பெட்ரோல் டீஸல் லிட்டர் கணக்குத்தான். கொஞ்சம் கவனமா இருந்தேன். இந்த வேலை கொஞ்சம் நிலைச்சுது. அம்மா என் கல்யாணத்துக்கு

ஏற்பாடு பண்ண ஆரம்பித்து விட்டாள்.

நான் கல்யாணத்துக்குச் சம்மதிச்சதுக்கு முதல் காரணம் வீணை. 'அம்மா! எனக்கு சூட் வேண்டாம்; ரிஸ்ட் வாட்ச் வேண்டாம்; அவாளை ஒரு வீணை

வாங்கிக் கொடுத்துடச் சொல்லு. வாத்தியார் காட்டற பொண்ணுக்குத் தாலி கட்டறேன்'னு சொல்லிட் டேன். அம்மா சிரிச்சா. எனக்குக் கல்யாணம் நடந்தது. நெருப்பிலே நெய்யை விடறபோது நாதஸ்வர சங்கீதத்திலே ஆழ்ந்து, தவில் கருவி மாதிரி உருளுவதைக் கவனிச்சுண்டு, அவ பட்டுப் புடவையெல்லாம் நெய்யாக்கின ஒரே மாப்பிள்ளை நான்தான்னு நினைக்கறேன். அந்தப் பாவிப் பயல் மலய மாருதத்தை அப்படி வாசிச்சான்.

என் கல்யாணம் நடந்தது. அதுக்கு முன்னாலேயே ஒரு நல்ல தஞ்சாவூர் வீணையா வாங்கியாச்சு! புதிய வீணை. புதிய பெண். இரண்டும் எனக்கு மிகவும்

புதுசு. இரண்டும் பெரிய சப்ஜெக்ட்! வீணையைப் பத்தியாவது பரிச்சயம் உண்டு. பெண்ணைப் பத்தி ஒண்ணுமே தெரியாது. நாங்க ரெண்டு பேரும் அறைக்குள்ளே படுத்துக்குற சந்தர்ப்பம் வந்தபோது, அந்த வீணை ஓரத்திலே இருந்தது. மூணு மணி நேரம் அவள் சும்மா உட்கார்ந்திருக்க, நான் ஸ்வரங்களைத் தேடிக் கொண்டிருந்தேன். நிமிர்ந்து பார்த்தபோதுதான் அவள் உட் கார்ந்திருந்தது ஞாபகம் வந்தது. அவள் கண்களில், 'என்னை வாசியுங்களேன்' என்று சொன்னது போல இருந்தது.

ஒரு வீணைக்காக கணவனான என் கல்யாண வாழ்க்கை எப்படி இருக்கும்? கல்யாணம் என்கிறது ரொம்பப் பெரிய பொறுப்பு, ஸார்! எனக்கு அது

முதல்லே தெரியலை. ஆனா, ஒரு வாரத்துக்குள்ளே, ''நாம எப்ப தனியா குடித்தனம் போகப் போறோம்?''னு கேட்டப்போ தெரிஞ்சது. பெட்ரோல் பங்க்

கிளார்க் எப்படி வாடகை கொடுத்துண்டு தனியா இருக்க முடியும்? அம்மாவுக்கும் அவளுக்கும் கொஞ்சம் சரிப்பட்டு வரலை. அம்மாவைப் பத்தி அவ

புகார் சொல்றது எனக்குப் பிடிக்கலை. என் அம்மா அம்மாதான். சீதாதேவியே மாமியாரா இருந்தாக்கூட ஒரு மருமகள் புகார்தான் சொல்வாள்

போலிருக்கு. ஆதி காலத்திலிருந்தே ரஃபா இருக்கிற உறவு போலிருக்கிறது இது. நான் இதையெல்லாம் கவனிக்கிறதில்லை. வீணை வீணை

வீணைதான். காலையிலே அவசர அவசரமாகப் பல்லைத் தேய்த்து விட்டுக் காபி சாப்பிட்டுவிட்டு உட்கார்ந்துவிடுவேன். ஒன்றரை மணி நேரம் சாதகம். அப்புறம் பங்க்குக்குப் போய் வந்த உடனே... எட்டு மணி வரை. ஒரு சினிமா கிடையாது; விளையாட்டுக் கிடையாது. பெண்டாட்டிக்கு எப்படி இருக்கும்!

என் முதல் பெண்ணுக்கு 'ரஞ்சனி'ன்னு பேர் வெச்சேன். ரேடியோவிலே ஆடிஷனுக்குப் போய் வந்தேன். மிருதங்கத்துடன் வாசித்துப் பழக்கமே இல்லை.

''முழுசா மூணு நாலு கீர்த்தனம் வாசிக்கக் கத்துட்டு வாங்க''னு சொன்னான், அந்த அதிகாரியோ யாரோ. 'சரிதான், போய்யா'னு வந்துட்டேன். எனக்கு

எதுக்கு இந்த ஆசையெல்லாம்? ஆனால், என் வாசிப்பிலே நிச்சயம் இம்ப்ரூவ்மென்ட் இருந்தது.

பேசாம கணக்கு எழுதிண்டு இருந்தேனா இல்லையா? இந்தச் சிதம்பரம் வந்து வெறுப்பேத்திட்டுப் போய்ட்டான். சிதம்பரம் என் பழைய பள்ளிக்கூடச் சிநேகிதன். பட்டணத்திலே செயலா இருக்கான். ரொம்ப நாளைக்கப்புறம் தகப்பனாரைப் பார்க்க லீவிலே வந்தான். என்னை வந்து பார்த்தான். ''இப்ப

என்ன பண்றே நீ?'' என்றான். 'பெட்ரோல் பங்க்கிலே கணக்கு எழுதறேன், கூடவே வீணை வாசிச்சிண்டிருக்கேன்'னேன். வாசிச்சுக் காட்டச் சொன்னான்.

ஒரு பாட்டு வாசிச்சேன்.

''என்னடா இது, இந்த மாதிரி வாசிப்பை வெச்சுண்டு பெட்ரோல் பங்க்கிலே கிளார்க்கா இருக்கியா? உன் வாசிப்பு என்ன லெவல் தெரியுமா? இப்ப

முன்னணிலே இருக்கிறவாள்ளாம் (கையைக் கீழே காட்டி) இங்கே இருக்கான்னா நீ (உத்தரத்தைக் காட்டி) அங்கே இருக்கே! மெட்ராசுக்கு வாடா, ஒரு சபையிலே வாசி, போதும். காட்டுத் தீ மாதிரி பரவிடுவே. காசு, புகழ் வரும். பாவிப் பயலே, என்னமா வாசிக்கறே?'' என்றான்.

அவன் சொன்னதிலே ஒண்ணும் பொய்யோ, முகஸ்துதியோ இல்லேங்கறது தெரிஞ்சது. கிளம்பறபோதுகூட அப்பாகிட்டே என்னைப் பத்தி 'ஓஹோ ஓஹோ'ன்னு சொன்னான். 'உங்க வீட்டிலே இருக்கறது ஒரு ஜீனியஸ்'னு சொன்னான். அப்பா மெட்ராஸ்லே மல்லாக்கொட்டை என்ன விலை

விக்கறதுன்னு விசாரிச்சார்.

அவன் போனப்புறம், எனக்குக் கொஞ்சம் ஆசை ஏற்பட்டது. போய்த்தான் பார்க்கலாமேனு பட்டுது. பெட்ரோல் பம்புக்கும், டீஸல் பம்புக்கும், கம்ப்ரெஸ்ஸருக்கும், பேரேடு புத்தகத்துக்கும் பிரியா விடை கொடுத்துவிட்டு, சம்பளப்பாக்கியை எண்ணி வாங்கிண்டு (87 ரூபாய் சொச்சம்) வடக்கே சூலமில்லாத ஒரு நாளிலே பெண்டாட்டி குழந்தை வீணை சகிதமாகக் கிளம்பிட்டேன். சாமான் ஜாஸ்தி எடுத்துக்கொண்டு போகல்லே; ஏராளமான

நம்பிக்கையைத்தான் எடுத்துண்டு போனேன்.

பழைய மாம்பலத்திலே ஒரு வீட்டிலே, ஒரு ஓரத்திலே இடம் பார்த்து வெச்சான் சிதம்பரம். சின்ன ரூம். வீணை வாசிக்கணும்னா க்ராஸா

உக்கார்ந்தாத்தான் முடியும். அப்புறம் சிதம்பரம் தனக்குத் தெரிஞ்ச சபா செக்ரட்டரிகளையெல்லாம் என்னை அழைச்சுண்டு போய் அறிமுகப்படுத்தி வெச்சான்.

எனக்குச் சான்ஸ் வந்து, நான் செய்த முதல் கச்சேரியைப் பத்திச் சொல்றேன். என் டர்ன் எப்ப வந்தது தெரியுமா? பஸ்ஸூக்கு நாழியாயிடும்னு

எல்லோரும் எழுந்து போனதற்கப்புறம் லேட்டா வந்தது. கொடுத்த ஒண்ணே கால் மணி நேரத்துலே ஒரு பாட்டே பூரணமா வாசிக்கமுடியலே.

மிருதங்கக்காரர் வேறு கொஞ்சம் ஸீனியர் ஆசாமி போல இருக்கு. என்னை பூச்சியா மதிச்சுத் தட்டிண்டிருந்தார்.முன் வரிசையில் யாரையோ

பார்த்து அடிக்கடி சிரிச்சிண்டிருந்தார். நான் என்ன என்னவோ செய்ய இருந்தவன் எப்படி எப்படியோ காட்ட இருந்த திறமைகள் எல்லாம் அந்தச்

சோம்பேறித்தனமான காலி நாற்காலி ராத்திரியிலே கரைந்துவிட்டன. ஒரு ப்ரஸ் ஆளு வரப்போறார் வரப்போறார்னு எல்லாரும் எதிர்பார்த்திண்டிருந்தா.

அவர் வேற ஏதோ பரதநாட்டியக் கச்சேரிக்குப் போயிட்டாராம். என் கச்சேரி முடிஞ்சதும் ஒரே ஒரு வயசானவர் வந்து என்னைத் தட்டிக் கொடுத்து,

''நானும் எவ்வளவோ கேட்டிருக்கேன். நீ ரொம்ப ரொம்பப் பேஷா வாசிக்கிறே. இந்த நூற்றாண்டின் மகாமேதை நீ''னு சொன்னார்.சொன்னா என்ன?

பரவலா என் கச்சேரி ஏதும் சலனம் உண்டு பண்ணினாப் போல தெரியல்லே.

என்னவோ பட்டணம் பட்ட ணம்னு சொல்றாங்க. பிரதானம் வந்துடும், கச்சேரிக்கு 700, 800 எல்லாம் சர்வசாதாரணமா கிடைக்கும், அப்படி

இப்படிங்கறாங்க. நான் ஒரு வருஷம் பூரா முயற்சி பண்ணிப் பார்த்தேன். அலையா அலைஞ்சேன். ஃப்ரீயா வாசிச்சேன். பத்து பேருக்கு வாசிச்சேன்.

தனியா வாசிச்சுக் காண்பிச்சேன். ஒரே ஒரு தடவை வார பத்திரிகையிலே என்னைப் பத்தி 'புது விதமான பாணிகள் எல்லாம் கையாள்றார்'னு வந்தது.

ஒரு சினிமா நடிகையைப் பத்தின புது விதமான போட்டோ தகவலுக்குப் பக்கத்திலே சின்னதா ஒரு ஓரத்திலே வந்திருந்தது. என்னைப் பத்திப்

போட்டிருந்தை நிறையப் பேர் படிச்சிருப்பாங்களான்னே சந்தேகம். என் வாசிப்பைக் கேட்ட எல்லாருமே, ''புதுவிதமாத்தான் வாசிக்கிறார். புரியாத ராகங்களிலே தைரியமா விளையாடறார். இருபத்து நாலு வயசுக்கு அற்புதமான வாசிப்பு''ன்னு ஒரு மனதாத்தான் சொல்றா. எல்லோருக்கும் என்

திறமையோட ஆச்சர்யம் தெரியறது. என் வித்வத்தைப் பற்றி ஒருத்தருக்கும் சந்தேகமில்லை. முன்னுக்கு வரவேண்டியவர்னு சாமர்த்தியமா

பேசறாங்க. ஆனா, எப்படி முன்னுக்கு வரது? எவ்வளவு நாள் பெண்டாட்டியோட தங்க நகைகள் தாங்கும்? வேறு என்ன வழி இருக்கு சொல்லுங்களேன்!

என் கலையைப் பற்றிச் சந்தேகமிருந்தா வீட்டுக்கு வாங்க. 34-ஏ, கவரை ஸ்ட்ரீட், புள்ளையார் கோயிலுக்குப் பக்கத்திலே...வாசிச்சுக் காட்டறேன்.

கேளுங்க. எங்கே ஸார் தப்பு? திரும்பிப் போயிடட்டுமா?

இவ்வளவு விஸ்தாரமா எழுதறனே, கடைசியிலே உங்க கிட்ட கைமாத்தா அஞ்சு பத்து கேக்கப் போறேன்னு நினைச்சுக்காதீங்க. இல்லை, ஸார்.

பகவான் என்னை அவ்வளவு தூரம் கொண்டு போகலே. கடைசியிலே வழி காட்டிட்டான். என் பணக் கஷ்டம் தீர்ந்துபோச்சு, என் வீணையாலே! எப்படின்னு சொல்றேன்.

நான் குடியிருக்கிற வீட்டு மாடியிலே ஒரு 30, 32 வயசுக்காரக் கிறிஸ்தவர் இருக்கார். பேர் பெர்னாண்டஸ். பாச்சலர். ரொம்ப நல்ல மாதிரி. அவர் ஒரு நாள்

வந்து, ''சார், நீங்கதான் தினம் தினம் வாத்தியம் வாசிக்கிறீங்களா?'' என்று கேட்டார். ''ஆமாம்''னேன். ''என்ன வாத்தியம், சித்தாரா?'' என்றார். ''இல்லை, வீணை''ன்னு சொன்னேன். ''சித்தார் மாதிரியே வாசிக்கிறீங்களே! ரொம்ப வேகமா இனிமையா இருக்குது ஸார்'' என்றார். ''தாங்க்ஸ்'' என்றேன். ''சித்தார் வாசிப்பீங்களா''னு கேட்டார். ''அதுவும் கம்பி வாத்தியமா?''ன்னேன். ''ஆமாம். மாடிக்கு வாங்க. என் கிட்டே ஒரு சித்தார் இருக்குது''ன்னு கூட்டிண்டு

போனார். அந்த ஆறு கம்பி வாத்தியம் வீணையைவிடச் சின்னதாக இருந்தது. கம்பி அமைப்பு தலைகீழா இருந்தது. கீழ்க் கம்பி சின்னதா இருந்தது. கீழ்க்

கம்பி முன்னாலேயும், மேல் கம்பி கடைசிலேயும்! வாசிச்சு வாசிச்சுப் பார்த்தேன். அரை மணியிலே அந்த வாத்தியத்தை அலட்சியமா வாசிக்க

ஆரம்பிச்சேன். அவர் ஆச்சர்யப்பட் டார். ''இன்னிக்குதான் முதல்லே வாசிக்கிறீங்களா, இதை?'' என்று கேட்டார். 'ஆமாம்'னேன்.

''உங்களுக்கு மேற்கத்திய சங்கீதம் பிடிக்குமா?''

''ஜாஸ்தி கேட்டதில்லை..''

''ஸார், நீங்க எதிலே வேலை செய்யறீங்க?'' என்று கேட்டார்.

''எனக்கு வேலையே கிடையாது'' என்றேன்.

''அப்ப, உடனே என்னோட வாங்க''ன்னார். கூடப் போனேன்.

தி.நகர்லே ஒரு வீட்டு மாடியிலே கீத்துக் கொட்டாய் போட்டிருந்தது. அதிலே பத்துப் பதினைஞ்சு பேர் உட்கார்ந்திருந்தாங்க. பெர்னாண்டஸ் அந்தக்

க்ரூப்புக்கு என்னை அறிமுகப்படுத்தினார். ''வாத்தியார்கிட்ட விஷயம் இருக்கு. வீணையில் பூந்து விளையாடறாரு''ன்னார்.

அந்த இடத்திலே விதவிதமான வாத்யங்கள்ளாம் இருந்தது. எல்லாம் மேற்கத்திய வாத்தியம். அந்த வாத்தியங்களோட பேரேல்லாம் எனக்குப் பிற்பாடு அத்துப்படி ஆயிடுத்து. டபிள் பேஸ், எலெக்ட்ரிக் வேலையா மூணு சித்தார், ஸாக்ஸ் (காலுக்குப் போட்டுக்கறது இல்லை. ஸாக்ஸபோன். இதிலே டெனர், ஆல்டோன்னு ரெண்டு ஜாதி) ட்ரம்பெட், லாட்டின் தாள வாத்தியங்கள், அக்கார்டியன், அப்புறம் நம்ம தேசத்து சிதார், ஸரோட், தப்லானு ஒரே கதம்பம்.

அந்தக் கோஷ்டி ஃபிலிம்லே பின்னணி வாசிக்கிறாங்களாம். சில பார்ட்டிகள்லேயும் வாசிக்கிறாங்களாம். அட்வர்டைஸ்மென்ட் வேலைகள் வேற செய்யறாங்களாம். அவங்களுக்கு ஒரு ஆள் தேவைப்பட்டதாம். என்னைக் கேட்டாங்க. 'ஈக்வலா மாச வரும்படியை பேர் பண்ணிப்போம். 150, 200க்கு

மாசம் தரோம்' னாங்க. சம்மதிச்சேன்.

சமீபத்தில் நான் ஒரு ஸோலோ ரிக்கார்ட்கூடக் கொடுத்திருக்கேன், ஸார்! வீணையில்தான். நீங்க கூட ரேடியோவிலே கேட்டிருப்பீங்களே...அதிலே

முதல்லே டங் டங் டங் டங் டங்னு கீழ்த் தந்தியைத் தட்டறேன். அது முடிஞ்சதும், அந்த ஆள் ''மணி ஐந்தாகிவிட்டதே! என் தலைவலி இன்னும்

தீரவில்லையே'' என்கிறான்.உடனே அந்தப் பெண், ''கவலைப்படாதீர்கள். ஒரு வில்லை --- மாத்திரை சாப்பிடுங்கள்'' என்கிறாள். நான் உடனே

படபடவென்று சந்தோஷமாக கமாஸ் வாசிக்கிறேன். அவர்கள் இருவரும் சேர்ந்து ''எப்பொழுதும் உங்கள் வீட்டில் ஒரு புட்டி --- மாத்திரைகளை

வைத்திருங்கள்'' என்கிறார்கள். அரை நிமிஷம்கூட இல்லை ஸார், அதற்கு ஐந்து ரூபாய் கொடுத்தான். யார் ஸார் சொன்னது, கலை சோறு போடாதுன்னு?

- சுஜாதா (விகடன் பொக்கிஷம் --23 -03-1969)

Vaanathai Pola 268

Even before their entry, their voices raced into the room and both Jeeva and Raman looked at each other and exchanged smiles and he told her, ' okay, their entrance is my cue for me to take leave and get on with the work on hand.'

' Raman, I understand what your job is all about but is it too much to ask that you forget about your duties as a citizen of this country and instead concentrate for a few days on the duties that you have as a father, husband and son.'

Raman pointed to his phone, ' Jeeva, you heard the conversation that I had with my boss last night and you also heard him apologize for intruding on my personal time with the family. The situation is a bit dire in nature and chances are that it could get complicated if we don't get ahead of it right away.'

Pecking her lips softly, Raman kissed the tiny flailing arms and legs of both Suja and Vijay and stood up to leave when the door opened and both their mothers Valliammai and Kamakshi entered and both looked at Raman and groaned their objection.

' What, you are leaving already?' Kamakshi asked him and Valliammai looked at her son with a little irritation flashing in her eyes and asked, ' You are not going home just like that but are going home to leave on some work that must have been delegated to you and that too all of a sudden. Right?'

It was Raman's turn to groan and he did, ' I have one answer to all three of you women and that is I promise to be back by late afternoon and after that, nada. I am not going anywhere.'

But the sharp glint in his mother-in-law's eyes was enough of a warning and the storm came from her mouth as gusty questions.

' Ram, don't your bosses know that you have just become a father and that you just got back from abroad and must be really tired. Why is that you are the one who has always to be on call and ready to serve?

She looked away and this prompted Raman to think, ' Okay, I guess that is all the firing that I had to face' and then his face and spirit sagged for Kamakshi turned and faced him with renewed vigour and launched her sneak attack.

' Raman, why is that it is only you that has to do all the work and importantly why is that they call on you for god know what all problems that the capital has to face? I don't understand why it has to be only you. Are there no other person in your intelligence business who is as capable as you are?'

Raman looked at her and then turned and looked at both Jeeva and his mother Valli and to all three women, his expression reminded them of a boy who is caught red-handed stealing from the cookie jar.

But all the women also knew him well and that he would counter their pertinent questions with valid answer and explanations and much to their disappointment, Raman countered and rather brilliantly.

Adjusting his invisible black advocate coat, he said, ' A very valid question, Mrs Kamakshi Amma. But, rather than give you an hour-long explanation, I will instead give you one memory that will in this case suffice and will be more than enough to bring justice to me and end this short case.'

Kamakshi nervously looked at her allies and both Valli and Jeeva flashed her the thumbs-up sign and this prompted her to say, ' Okay, go on and refresh us about that memory of yours.'

Raman raised a finger and wagged it and said, ' No, no. I am sorry but you are mistaken for the memory is not about me but about you and the Prime minister and it is about that time when he tasted that Rava Kesari and other food items you cooked for all of us while we were in the army base in Tambaram.

Do you remember what words he used to praise you and the food that you had cooked and also please remember that he said again and again that he had never tasted such tasty and delicious food and that even his mothers cooking paled before your skills?

Now, if is that is true, then why can't it be true that I too have been blessed by God and have been given certain skills for a certain purpose. Also, please keep in mind that problems and dangers in my line of work don't come with fixed timings and come totally unheralded. It is up to me to take them on for in the end that is the purpose and that is my calling.'

He bowed, waved with a flourish and then saluted all of them made a quick exit that looked more like a getaway and rather resembled a fox escaping the trap that had been laid for it.

All three women stood staring at the door, fuming in anger and frustration that Raman had gotten off so easily and then all three heard the tiny noises that came from the bed and looked down to see Kutty Vijay's palms coming together softly and again and again.

Jeeva stared at her son unable to comprehend his actions and then looked up at Valli and her mother and whispered, ' is he doing what I think he is doing?'

The tiny palms of the day-old Vijay came together again and Jeeva whispered to herself but which was loud enough for the two women to hear her and they heard her, ' He is clapping and he is clapping for his father.'

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/4919631?pn=102&pc=151864665

Power, energy, razor-sharp enunciation of Manna Dey

Young singer Kavita Krishnamurthy was excited. A film song of hers had become a chartbuster and she visited her guru Manna Dey to share the happy news with him. “Which song?” Manna Dey enquired. Tu cheez badi hai mast mast from the film Mohra, she responded.

Manna Dey lost his temper and gave Kavita a dressing down. “This song insults the Indian woman, it calls her an object. How can you sing such a song, and denigrate your own gender?” Kavita left the house in tears. But the guru’s harsh words, (which he later regretted) didn’t diminish Kavita’s regard for him.

This incident highlights Manna Dey’s approach to music. He shunned anything obscene or in bad taste. He would refuse to sing if a lyric smacked of vulgarity or had double entendre.

His singing too was principled and organised. He would come to recordings fully prepared, armed with notes and notations — a practice no other playback singer followed.

Manna Dey was the last of the super six male singers of the golden era of Hindi film music — the others being Mohammad Rafi, Hemant Kumar, Mukesh, Talat Mahmood and Kishore Kumar. He outlived all the others — he was 94 when he passed away in 2013. (Mukesh departed in 1976, Rafi in 1980, Kishore in 1987, Hemant Kumar in 1989, Talat Mahmood in 1998). He sang some 4,000 songs in nearly a dozen languages (mainly Hindi and Bengali) in a career that spanned six decades.

It is often said that Rafi used to pour his heart out in songs; well, Manna Dey poured out his soul. Rafi would tell his fans, “you may listen to anyone, but I listen to Manna Dey.” Composer Anil Biswas perhaps paid Manna Dey the best tribute — “He can sing anyone’s songs, be it Rafi or Kishore or Mukesh, but they can’t sing his songs.” Kavita Krishnamurthy remarked: “Manna Dey gets the toughest of compositions and sings them beautifully.”

He was a master of many styles. But connoisseurs lauded him for the classical excellence he imbibed from his uncle — the legendary blind singer K C Dey — as well as from Ustad Aman Ali Khan. His strengths as singer, apart from classical training, were the power, energy and expressiveness of his voice, his razor-sharp enunciation, and his emphasis on originality. He pursued his own style.

His proficiency with classical music was however both a gift and a curse. He wanted to be a singer of mass appeal, but got branded as a classicist. His songs were often filmed on elderly, mythological or secondary characters. His very first playback song was filmed on sage Valmiki!

He won many honours — the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Filmfare and Central government awards for best playback singer, and lifetime achievement awards. A documentary film on him in Bengali was made in 2008.

He inspired reverence in many. In his 2007 autobiography, he recalled a touching experience. When he went to a hospital in Bengaluru (the famous Narayana Hrudayala hospital set up by Dr Devi Shetty) for treatment of chest pain, he was astonished to see the entire hospital staff at the gate with bouquets for him. He was treated free of charge: Dr Shetty said that treating Manna Dey was a privilege.

Manna Dey was amazingly versatile. Reputedly the king of qawwalis (he was the prime singer of the inimitable classic Na to karavan ki talash hai, the longest qawwali of Hindi cinema, composed by Roshan in Barsaat ki Raat), he was equally captivating with bhajans. The divine Tu pyar ka sagar hai composed by Shankar-Jaikishen for Seema is really soul-stirring. He excelled both in romantic duets such as Nain mile chain kahan, the peerless duet with Lata Mangeshkar composed by Shankar-Jaikishen for Basant Bahar and philosophical reflections such as the unforgettable Zindagi kaisi hai paheli, composed by Salil Chowdhury for Anand. His patriotic songs, such as the heartbreaking Aye mere pyare watan composed by Salil Chowdhury for Kabuliwallah, were as magnetic as his toe-tapping numbers, such as Ae bhai, zara dekh ke chalo from Mera Naam Joker composed by Shankar-Jaikishen, for which he won a Filmfare Award. Yet, he couldn’t shake off the “classicist” tag and that unfortunately limited his opportunities.

Born in Kolkata in 1919, Manna Dey belonged to a large joint family of 32 members. Sports (football, cricket, kite-flying, boxing and wrestling) consumed his early years, so did pranks and tomfoolery. And of course, music. “As my first uncle, singer and composer, K C Dey, was always singing, there was always music at home.” He sang at school stage shows at the age of 10, and won several music contests in college. He didn’t take up law (which his father wanted him to) or engineering (as his second uncle suggested), but music — as desired by K C Dey.

Manna Dey moved to Bollywood in 1942 along with uncle Dey. But it was a long hard struggle for recognition, and he often thought of giving up his playback dreams and returning to Kolkata.

His first hit song, Upar gagan vishal in the 1950 film Mishaal for which S D Burman composed music, dramatically changed his career. The singer later became a disciple of S D Burman, almost in the guru-shishya tradition. He would regularly buy groceries and bananas and puffed rice for Burman. He would also organise a supply of paan — which Burman was always chewing.

But Manna Dey says he did not resent doing such chores for Burman, because there was a deep bond of affection and respect between them, cemented by many common interests. For example, both were crazy about football. While Manna Dey supported Mohun Bagan, Burman was a votary of East Bengal. The two sparred often.

Manna Dey’s most famous song for Burman was the matchless Poocho na kaise main rain beetayi (Meri soorat teri ankhen, 1963), a classical masterpiece filmed on Ashok Kumar.

The singer was eloquent and emotional about the role of Shankar-Jaikishen, particularly Shankar, in promoting his career. He said, “Shankar was the first music director who made me sing romantic numbers… He felt that my masculine rendering of love songs would appeal to the public.”

His first song for Shankar-Jaikishen was the Awara duet Tere bina aag ye chandni with Lata Mangeshkar. Several chartbusters followed. Like Lapak jhapak in Boot Polish; that eternal romantic masterpiece with Lata, Pyar hua ikrar hua (Shri 420); and the two majestically beautiful Chori Chori duets with Lata Mangeshkar — Aja sanam and Ye raat bheegi bheegi.

It was again for Shankar-Jaikishen that Manna Dey sang three alluring classics in Basant Bahar — Sur na saje, Bhey bandana and Ketaki ghulab juhi champak ban phoole. The last one etched its way into immortality — a song with Hindustani classical giant Bhimsen Joshi.

Manna Dey says he was petrified of competing with — let alone defeating — a maestro like Joshi for this song. In fact, he left Bombay and disappeared for some time when the idea of the song was mooted. He said, “I thought it ridiculous that I should prevail over Bhimsen Joshi.” But he was coaxed back and went on to record the song. He was elated when Joshi complimented him, and urged him to become a classical music singer.

Talking about other composers, Manna Dey said Madan Mohan’s compositions stood out with their excellent fusion of classical and folk melodies. The famous song Kaun aya mere man ke dware for Dekh Kabira Roya, is so beguiling, it can stop a listener anywhere. The two Bawarchi songs Tum bin jeevan and Bhor aai gaya andhiyara composed by Madan and filmed on Rajesh Khanna were a rage.

Manna Dey was full of admiration for Salil Chowdhury, for whom he sang Dharti kahe pukar ke — a paean on mother earth — for Bimal Roy’s epic Do Bigha Zameen. Salil also gave him memorable songs for Madhumati, Kabuliwala and Anand. Importantly, Salil helped Manna Dey gain a foothold as a playback singer in Bengali films, and got him to sing the mesmerising love song Manasa maine varu in the Malayalam blockbuster Chemmeen. The song, for which his Kerala-born wife Sulochana Kumaran gave him helpful lessons — became a runaway hit.

His immortal melody Kasme wade pyar wafa sab for Kalyanji-Anandji for the film Upkar created national euphoria. It didn’t win the expected national award for Manna Dey but won him a beautiful tribute by Lata. She said: “This song keeps haunting me, even when I’m about to record a song, and I’m tempted to cancel my own recording session! How did you manage to emote so well?” Two other much-feted, much-loved Kalyanji-Anandji songs sung by him were Yari hain imaan mera, yaar meri zindagi from Zanjeer, filmed on Pran; and the delightful, magical Ae meri zohra jabeen in Waqt, based on an Afghan song and filmed on Balraj Sahni.

Manna Dey describes R D Burman as “the last genius of Hindi cinema”. His music knowledge and his flair for synthesising Western and Indian classical notes were extraordinary. For him, Manna Dey sang Ao twist karen in Bhoot Bungla (RD told the producer that only this singer, and no one else would sing that song); Aayo kahan se Ghanshyam in Buddha Mil Gaya (which demonstrated RD’s mastery over Indian ragas); the riotous and zany Ek chatur nar (with Kishore Kumar in Padosan); and Yeh dosti, hum nahin chhodengey, the boisterous Sholay motor cycle song with Kishore Kumar.

He was the quintessential singer’s singer. Fellow-singers, Lata Mangeshkar for example, showered him with lavish praise. Manna Dey quotes Lata saying that she had sung 107 duets with him. “She must be right, I have not kept count myself,” he laughed. She lauded Manna Dey’s Marathi pronunciation — saying it was as impeccable as that of a learned Marathi Brahmin.

Rafi was another self-confessed fan of Manna Dey — he once hugged Dey after a recording, saying just one word: “Lajawab”. Manna on the other hand considered Rafi the best Bollywood singer. Both shared a passion for kites and battled each other from their terraces when they were for some time neighbours in Bombay. The Bengali managed to cut down Rafi’s kite often, much to the latter’s discomfiture.

Manna Dey was surprised that in later years Bollywood singers couldn’t stand each other. “It was never like that in our time. Outside the studio, we were the best of friends and shared our joys and sorrows with each other.”

Though he didn’t climb the dizzy heights of musical stardom that Rafi and Kishore did, he was admired by one and all as a singer of exceptional brilliance. He was also one of the straightest and cleanest men in the film industry, says Kavita Krishnamurthy. Which is one of many reasons he must be remembered and honoured.

This article was written by my friend, Mr SR Madhu for his rotary club and which he kindly sent me via e-mail and which I am sharing with you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psfm3s-Wmfo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXLzfldeDcM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1DZxkiMjRo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIkFW78x6UA

A day in the life of my acting life

A couple of days ago, I was shooting for a scene that involved all the actors of the serial Baakiyalakshmi at one place and that place is either at the dining table or the hall.

The master shots were done with and now it was close-up time. Close-up shots are given to the person who was facing the camera during the last master, wide shot and it fell on me. While the lights were being moved around, the camera was being set up, I walked around ruminating the lines along with my expressions and caught sight of a man in white and white, half( nearly bald) but with flowing hair growing from the remaining stalks and with a handle-bar moustache.

' A writer surely and that too one from the 60s and 70s' I thought to myself and went in for my close up shots.

That done, lunch done, I came into the room allocated for us male actors and found that man in white and white getting his make-up done and looked at the AD( Assistant Director) and raised my left eyebrow in a question mark and he mouthed ( new character-audition).

'o' I mouthed back and slumped into the bed and drowned myself in the fiction book I have been trying to finish and trying to finish for the past three days.

A few minutes later the room lay empty and was filled only with the actor who was ready for his audition and me along with my biggest flaw and which is my Inquisitive nature and the questions that have helped me attain that title ( Adiga prasangi).

' Are you by any chance a writer, stage actor?' my gob enquired and the man looked at me and smiled and replied, ' why would you think that of me?'

' FU...d' I winced for I had only thought about the questions but not the reasons for them and yet my gob spoke the truth ( Harischandranoda descendant nenappu), ' Ille, your looks reminded me of my favourite writer.'

' Thambi, neenga endha ooru' pat came his reply loaded with a question.

' Yen kekkareenga?'

' Ille, your looks, colour and the book by your side makes me think that you are not from Chennai and if that is the case, then which writer do I remind you?'

Honestly, 99.9 per cent of the time, things work out okay but that .1 per cent can turn into that situation when you have put your hand into the puthu and realize that there is indeed a snake inside it and is about to strike.

' Jayakanthan' was my reply, bold, honest and the truth and he smiled and nodded, ' yes, I get that a lot.'

He looked at me and said, ' Thambi, you are a very kind person' and so we began to talk, talk and then the door opened and he was, led away for his audition.

Meanwhile, I got my makeup done, clothes pressed again and waited for the next scene.

Nearly twenty minutes later, the man returned and got back into his white shirt and white veshti and just as he was leaving, he put out his hand and we shook hands and he gave me his card and said," call me if you need any help' and left with his pure white shirt and veshti fluttering and doing their best to imitate Kal-El's cape.

I looked at the card and thought, ' WTF is wrong with you? why can't you just be and let others just be you goofy dog?'

The card read "Vice President, Pattali Makkal Katchi."

Sadly, I did not take a pic of him or with him but this pic of Jayakanthan will do justice and absolutely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he2U2C4ywSQ&feature=emb_logo

God, I tried to be perfect. By, wanting to be perfect, I hoped vainly and filled with Ego that I could become like you. But, God, How can I be perfect when the world around me is imperfect. Lord, what is perfect anyway for I have tried my best to reach that altar, peak and much to my surprise, always find that the line has shifted, moved and far away from my fingertips.

My knees are bloodied and raw. My fingers and toes are bleeding from slipping and sliding, trying hard to hold on to perfection.

I see now that there never had been such a thing as perfection for I see now that you are imperfect yourself. Yet, I will try to be perfectly imperfect in the imperfect world.

Many a times, in my acting career, which is now nearly 26 years old, I have heard the word " perfect" used when I have been in front of the camera delivering my lines or reactions. It used to fill me with great pride and used to give me wings of joy to fly in and then I soon realized that the word perfection is just a temporary state of joy and just an award that does not survive too long and is suspect under close inspection.

Many a time, I have looked back on scenes and close-up shots that I thought I had been good in and realized that I could have done better. Yes, many things don't stand close scrutiny and fall flat and turn boring and cliched.

It was then that I realized the mortality of words, such as " perfect, great, fantastic" and also realized and understood that one can only do so much in that given time and in that given opportunity and inputs.

Life too is like that and we can only do so much with the time given to us and in the given emotional state that we find ourselves in.

It is okay to fail, fall, slip and slide for we all exist in an imperfect world, perfectly imperfect.

In the midst of a scene-collateral damage

The co-director Shankar entered our room which is meant for us male actors and said ' Next scene, shall I read it ' and I and Vishaal who plays my younger son nodded okay and so it began.

The scene was about me leaving to work and Vishaal who plays the character " Ezhil" stops me and confronts me and yells at me for verbally abusing his mother, my wife," Baakiyalakshmi" the previous night.

That previous night scene involved me upset about something and refusing dinner and go up to my room to be alone. But, Baakiya brings my dinner and asks me lovingly to eat and not ruin my health by starving myself. I lose control of my sense and yell at her and accuse her of being a useless woman whose only thought is about food, food and all things concerning food.

Hurt and in tears she leaves and is crying and that is how our younger son Ezhil finds her and realizes what had taken place.

So, the scene is about him fighting for his mother and seeking justice and the reasons why I ignored her all the time and not giving her the respect and the love that is due to her.

Remarkably, Gopinath, my character take all of the questions and accusations for he realized the previous night itself that he had erred and had committed a grave mistake by yelling at hi wife for no fault of hers and had done so simply because his day had been bad and had been one full of stress and strain.

Collateral damage meaning by Cambridge- during a war, the unintentional deaths and injuries of people who are not soldiers, and damage that is caused to their homes, hospitals, schools, etc.

Collateral damage meaning in Wikipedia- Collateral damage is any death, injury, or other damage inflicted that is an unintended result of military operations.

Collateral damage meaning in MACMILLAN DICTIONARY-ordinary citizens who are killed during a war. This word is used especially by military officers.

Collateral damage meaning by Satish- A couple with one or more children begin fighting and soon they end up getting divorced. The children and what they experienced in the fight between their parents is collateral damage.

A man comes raging with tension and stress after having a bad day in the office and after having been stuck in a traffic jam for many hours and his wife tries to calm him down and he abuses her verbally and a few abuse their spouses physically and that too is collateral damage.

A boy is brought up under strict, brutal regime by his dictator father and is scarred forever. The same boy not knowing better behaves the same way with his children and that again is collateral damage.

A beautiful woman in a relationship talks about her old flame to her new flame and subtly ridicules him and that too is collateral damage.

Parents put down their children in front of others by comparing them with other children and yes, collateral damage.

Knowingly, unknowingly there is damage all around us and you bet we are all damaged in some way or another. Most of us have healed ourselves with the grace of God and with the grace of friends and family members but I wonder if we have healed properly.

Many have not healed at all and are walking wounded wearing their wounds and pain all over their sleeves, hearts and faces.

Life is a war and we all are collateral damage and no one knows when the next attack or explosion is going to be.

Petty fights that take gigantic proportions and develop into deep-rooted hatred. Ego.

Words, jokingly said that still leaves abrasions and deep wounds.

I am guilty of this crime and stand accused of having done that many a hundred times over.

We do that, knowingly or unknowingly but still the damage is done.

A wife serves food and asks her husband how the dish is and his reply " okay. Not bad " is okay in reality but then life is not just about reality but Maya, an illusion.

It wouldn't cost him anything to just smile and say, ' Nice. very nice."

Pretentious, maybe and maybe not but sometimes in life, it is okay to tell small but sweet and soothing lies.

I could wax and wane and go on about this thought but I will not for it is up to you who are reading this to judge and come to your own conclusions.

I take this moment to say a BIG SORRY to all my loved ones if I have hurt you, insulted you knowingly and unknowingly.

Good morning. I wish you a beautiful day.

Vaanathai Pola 269

Raman's escape from his three women and the relief that came with it came to an abrupt end the moment he stepped out of the room and walked right into the arms of the two men in his life. Shaktivel his father and Manigandan his father-in-law both looked at him and began clapping their hands not knowing that their grandchildren inside the room were still clapping or at least doing something that resembled that by bringing their tiny palms together.

" Oh no, not another blockade," Raman thought in hopeless despair and resignedly greeted them both and asked them what was the good news that had them both clapping as one.

Jeeva's dad Manigandan stopped clapping and said, ' Three against one and yet you triumphed and that certainly deserves a clap and a standing ovation for you just managed to do what we and most men cannot do. You somehow won a verbal battle against three women Hitlers and have escaped unscathed.'

Raman shook his head and then with an exaggerated expression of horror exclaimed, ' that was neither a win nor an escape but a cowardly retreat and hasty one at that.'

Shaktivel's love for his son Raman was more than that of a father and a mother and was something that could only be defined as pure devotion and he observed, ' Iyaa, it is obvious that you are in a hurry. Finish up and we will talk more after you come back.'

Raman looked at his dad filled with the same love and devotion and said, ' I am sorry that I have to leave but a very high-level army officer has gone missing and I have been asked to look into it immediately and the request has come right down from the Prime Minister's office.'

Shaktivel's face reflected his thoughts like a sky would do when blue skies are replaced by dark stormy clouds and he tentatively said, ' Iyaa, is it necessary that you have to handle all these dangerous kind of assignments. You are not even fully recovered from all those injuries that you sustained when you took on those dreaded criminals and you got back from the middle-east just yesterday and already you are leaving us.'

Raman loved his father as much as he loved his wife and newborns but that love was also filled with respect and unable to answer his father's pointed but pertinent question looked away feeling a bit weird.

Shaktivel smiled and gently gripped Raman's arm, ' we will talk more, later. I am sorry if I have caused you any delay with my old man talk. Go and do what you have to do and come back to us quickly.'

Raman left after he had gently bowed his head to both the fathers and Mani observing this, ' Shakti sir, God knows what Raman said or what trick he conjured up to escape our women but one remarkable virtue that never fails to surprise me and amaze me is to your son's respectful behaviour and the way he interacts with you.

Shaktivel was a bit confused by this observation and asked Manigandan what he meant and Mani replied.

' Just imagine my child Jeeva in that position that Raman was in a few moments ago and her reaction if I had asked her the same question that you asked your son.'

Shaktivel imagined it but like Raman, he too was a person known for keeping his thoughts and observations close to his chest and all that came out was a very subtle smile and he said, ' Each of us is created from a different mould, Mani sir. Maybe it is done so that our differences balance out in the end and lets us live in peace and happiness.'

Mani looked at him, ' If that is the case, then Raman is water and Jeeva is fire, and that is why they jell so well.'

Shaktivel nodded and added, ' And, lest you forget, fire can become water and water can become fire when the situation arises for them to change character.'

Both men nodded their heads, like, wise old sages and entered the room and were immediately assaulted with questions from all corners.

Jeeva asked Shakitvel, ' Shakti appa, why is your son behaving like this? Here I am after having just delivered his two children instead of being with us and he is already off on some mission to save the world.

Kamakshi and Valli took turns asking both Shaktivel and Manigandan if they had seen Raman on his way out and on their way in and if they had done so, why they had not stopped him from leaving.

Shaktivel and Manigandan were brave men but not brave husbands and looked at each other and faced the three women boldly and with clear consciences and lied beautifully and honestly.

' We did our best to stop him and begged him but he spouted some legal jargon about duty and national security and vamoosed like a fox before we could stop him.'

Jeeva, Valliammai and Kamakshi all began to mumble and mutter, ' see, Raman not only fooled us but fooled our men too. Sadly, our poor husbands didn't stand a chance with him and his legal brain.'

Jeeva boldly declared ' Huh, we couldn't handle him and make him stay, then how can we expect these two oldies to do the same.'

The soft sounds that they tiny palms of the twins made all of them look at the day-old Suja and Vijay and Shaktivel looked at all of them and asked, 'what are the babies doing? are they clapping but why?'

Jeeva her eyes glued to her babies replied, ' Dad, they did the same thing when Raman gave us the slip and are repeating that same action and which I think is clapping.'

She looked up totally startled, ' if they are indeed clapping, does that mean they can hear us and understand us?'

The tall well-built security man looked at both of them and then politely requested them to wait while he called in.

He dialled the intercom number and his boss picked it up and said hello.

' Sir, I am sorry to disturb you but there are two people waiting here who have come to meet you and the family.'

Kandaswamy Mudaliyar's normal reaction would have been to yell his head off and which would have meant the instant dismissal of the security officer for disturbing him and that too with a request about two people waiting outside his residence.

But Kandaswamy Mudaliyar was an intelligent man and also knew the security man very well and realizing that there must be a reason why he had made the call and that too after setting aside protocols and rules that very clearly mentioned that he did not entertain any visitors at home unless he had personally informed them prior to anyone's arrival.

' Did these two gentlemen mention their names and the reason for them being here?'

' Yes sir. But sir, one is a man and the other is a lady and their names are Arul and Jothi.'

Kandaswamy thought hard but failed to recollect if he had heard the names and asked the security man if they had given any other reference or reason for their arrival.

' Yes sir' the security man whispered and said, ' they have mentioned two names, sir. One is that of Mr Rudran sir and the other name is...'

Kandaswamy roared with irritation, ' Why are you hesitating?'

The security man whispered softly, ' Dhana Shekara Pandyan, sir.'

A bolt of electricity ran through Kandaswamy's body and he mumbled, ' Sir. Sir has sent them. Please, bring them in immediately.'

Renuka who was just coming out of the kitchen catching sight of her dad's excited expression asked him what was going on.

Kandaswamy told her that two strangers called Arul and Jothi were being shown in and that they had been sent by Dhana Shekara Pandyan.

Renuka yelled her joy, ' Arul and Jothi are here, right now. Fantastic.'

At that very moment, both saw Arul and Jothi being ushered in by the security guard. Kandaswamy waved the security man away and stood up to greet and welcome the strangers.

But to his surprise, both the young man and woman slowly dropped to their knees and said in a very humble manner ' Our queen, we see you and we give you our wishes and greetings. I hope you, our lord Rudran and your child are well. Our Queen mother, Malar sends you her greetings, respects and wishes from Perumalvaram.

Flashback from Redemption. Please read chapters 151,152,153 for reference of Dhana and renuka.

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