Thursday, January 29, 2009

Known and Unknown

All he had to do was close his eyes. But they refused to obey him. However hard he tried to close them, they seemed to be directed to one spot. It was hard to fantasize and comprehend what lay in front of him.

Here in the small bed, wrapped in a small cloth lay a part of his own. A piece of his body and soul. Someone who would be his inheritance. A shining beacon of rightfullnes, grace and radiating with divinity glowing within and outwards. The baby was sleeping. He was even afraid to hold him in his hands just having a stupid notion of "what if he slipped out of my hands".

It was ironical that inspite of having reached the age of 29, he had never held a kid in his hands. It was surprising to see someone almost 1/10th of the size of him and still feel almost hundred times love than for himself. But vying for his love
was the lady sleeping peacefully in the bed next to him. She was beautiful. Even in the half-moon light, her face had the serene beauty that could make the moon disappear behind the clouds.

The baby passed gas and he found himself laughing with his hands cupping his mouth. The baby then lay still. Motionless. Not a twitch. He grew afraid. He went near the baby and wondered if he should touch and awake him if he was sleeping or maybe summon the doctors. The baby twitched minutes later, what seemed like an eternity to him. And that was when it struck him.

What was it that had tied him to the child that was born a couple of hours ago? Love? Ego? Blood? At this moment he was prepared to lay his life for a kid, who had not even seen or known him, let alone remember that he was responsible for him.

Blood was indeed thicker than water. He thought about the thousands of parents who cried over their ward's dead bodies after wars. People who had lost their only hope of survival. Such people should have felt cremated alive.

He wondered about the thousands of people in poverty. He had not met many, but whatever little he saw of, made him ponder about the purpose of life. So what was life? Power? Struggle? Joy? Sex? Fame? Perhaps not. Life was more of a summation of
small obscure good deeds that would bring smile to the ones devoid of it. What was he doing here? What was his purpose of arrival on earth? He did not belong here.

It seemed like a giant puzzle's last piece had found and put itself in place. He walked out. Silently. Far away from her. Far away from the baby.

Far away....in search of himself.

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She struggled to open her eyes. She had seen the baby just after it was born and then she passed out. She had no recollection of how long she was asleep. Must have been couple of hours. She was surprised to not find him. He was the most devoted husband any girl could have asked for and she was glad that he felt the same way about her. Reassuring herself that he must have been just near, she went near the baby.

The baby's feet were pink. She kissed its small toe. The baby twitched. But it did not cry. Maybe like some divine power, they seem to know and understand each other and so he chose to ignore making an issue out of her gentle kiss. She looked at his face. It had the same features of his dad although his ears were shaped out like her. He would grow out to be a wonderful young man.

Then she realized that he was not anywhere around. She left the baby sleep peacefully and walked with the little energy she could summon. She did not want to ask anyone about his whereabouts and panic them. She was a strong woman and she could
handle grief. But after almost an hours search throughout the palatial residence, there was no sign of him. He seemed to be everywhere and yet he was nowhere.

What wrong had she done? Was she not a good wife? A good lover? A loyal partner? She had done everything to the best of her abilities. And yet she was rewarded THIS. What would her son think about her once he grows up? Wouldn't he loathe her? What would her subjects say? That the king relinquished his throne due to his bad wife? It was certainly not a name she was prepared to live with.

Tears rolled down her cheeks. Just as it was about to drop from her cheeks down to the kid's face, she caught it with her hands. Perhaps, she still had a mission to live for in life.

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Years later, the king who deserted his wife, Siddhārtha Gautama transformed into Lord Gautama Buddha.

She, Queen Yasodhara, turned into a nun years later and died 2 years before him.

But then, how many of us ever wondered or bothered about her?

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

News of Tomorrow

News of Tomorrow

Date: 06-Jan-2019

Politics

Pak Denies hand in Terror: India asks US to intervene

By our Special Correspondent

New Delhi: New Delhi raised alarm over involvement of Pakistan's hand in the latest bomb blasts in an electric train in CST station in Mumbai. Police nabbed a gunman who is identified to be former Pakistani Cricketer Ashid Shafridi.

I did it: Ashid confesses

New Delhi: Ashid was nabbed by the policemen immediately after the incident and he confessed his crime. The FBI has confirmed his identity. However, Pakistan has deleted Ashid's record from their local Cricinfo database and their national citizen's database and maintained that there are no records to prove that he played for Pakistan nor he is a Pakistani citizen. India and US have expressed surprise that Pakistan even has a database of its own.

Even though around 30 daily-working mazdoors and ordinary people have died in this incident, the Home Minister Mr. Khivraj Betil refused to resign. He has maintained that it requires atleast 10 foreign tourists or some Page 3 VIPs to be killed for an Indian Minister to resign from his incumbent post.

"Mummy…save me from Pakistan": Minister

New Delhi: India has as usual upheld its cry-baby status and asked US to intervene and question Pakistan's morality in this issue. Indian Minister Mr. Betil repeatedly trying calling his US counterpart from his extension but found no answers. He finally got hold of him once he gave a missed call from his assistant's mobile phone. The US secretary, who has been using a mobile phone for the past 25 years is reported to have quipped "What the f**k is a missed call?" to his assistants.


 

World News

We will find WMDs : Salin's promise

Washington: Meanwhile, US President Ms. Parah Salin has promised the UN that they will find the WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) in Iraq by 2040. Apparently, she had to clarify what the heck a WMD was (just like her Republican predecessor Mr. Gush). She has vowed that once they find the WMD (and dry up all oil outlets), they will vacate Afghanistan.

Earlier today, the US authorities seized 2 sacks of butterbeans and black chana and had claimed that they be qualified as WMDs for their capability to induce humans to fart and pollute the atmosphere. The decision is still pending with the UN general body. Ms. Salin is also in consultation with her ministers to move the US capital from Washington to New Jersey, so that she can keep an eye on Iraq from her house.

Local Politics

Citizens to be trained by cricketers

Mumbai: Following the All India Terrorist Union's recent announcement that they would not claim responsibility for bomb blasts which kills less than 20 people, there has been terror alert in Indian cities.

Minister has claimed that they are taking help of cricketers to train people to catch and throw the bombs back at their attackers. Popular cricketers Bautam Bamghir and Ubin Rothappa who walked and scored runs in their heydays, have volunteered to help citizens to walk and catch bombs and throw them back. Popular cricketer Suvaraj Singh however offered to train female citizens.


 

Rape and Murder quota limit exceeded for MPs and MLAs: Bill passed unanimously in Parliament

New Delhi: The Indian parliament exceeded the murder and rape limits for MPs and MLAs. Earlier the rape and murder limits for MPs and MLAs were 2 and 1 respectively. But as per latest survey it was found that the MPs and MLAs expressed their dissatisfaction as they wanted the limit to be exceeded by 1 each. The bill was unanimously passed by all parties without any dispute. Once the bill was successfully passed in the morning, the parliament was adjourned in afternoon owing to poor attendance by MPs.


 

Vote Auction held successfully in TN: EC expresses satisfaction

Chennai: The EC expressed happiness over the first Vote auction held in TN by-elections. Under this scheme, the voter would stand outside the vote booth and auction his vote to the highest bidding party. MDK and AMDK stood outside the booths with truckloads of money and goondaas to 'convince' the voters to vote for them.

Meanwhile the MDK celebrated the first birthday of Mr. Asthamanidhi Tsalin's son Mr. KatchiNidhi. He has been appointed as "MDK's Toddler's association secretary". However Mr. Tsalin has rubbished claims about Dynasty politics in MDK and said that it was done in "Democratic" way.


 

Be warned: Taj's ultimatum

Mumbai: MNS (Megarashtra Napoonsak Sena) chief Mr. Taj Jockeray has "urged" his party members to spread Megarashtra spirit amongst people in the state. Taj has served ultimatum to immigrants from other states to learn to speak and write in Megathi if they wanted to make a living in Megarashtra.

He has asked his party cadres to henceforth take surprise oral and dictation tests on any suspicious non-megathi person across the state. If the person did not pass the test with "satisfactory" results, they would be deported on the next train to their respective states. The Supreme court has as usual expressed dissatisfaction and sent summon papers to Mr. Taj. The summon papers were reportedly used to clean Mr. Taj's assistant's children's private parts.

Cinema

Kajini's new movie

Chennai: Superstar Kajinikanth's new movie would be directed by renowned masala director Veerarasu. Veerarasu, who is having a golden run at the box-office, was summoned by the Superstar and apparently Veerarasu has told him a one-liner which seems to have impressed the Superstar.

Veerarasu's last movie with Sujay titled "Saidapettai" was a rocking success as it crossed 30 days across various centers. As Veerarasu has made movies with all the cities' name in TN, he is left with no choice but to use famous street names in TN. Rumor mills suggested that he might register the name "Kannamapettai" and the subject might be where Kajini will play the role of a young Casket maker. Veerarasu as usual makes a cameo (comedy) appearance as a dead body.

Popular yesteryear actress Tridevi's daughter Hanvi is tipped to play the role of Kajini's coveted heroine. Sources close to the superstar have neither confirmed nor denied the rumor. Kajini could not be contacted as he is on a spaceship to moon as Reporters seem to track him even in Hrishikesh Mountains.

Sports

We will win the World Cup: Tachin's new year promise

Mumbai: Tachin Sendulkar has promised Indian cricket fans that he will play to his best abilities to help India win the 2019 Cricket world cup. "Winning the world cup has always been my childhood dream" said the 45 year old cricketing superstar.

Indian team captain Mhd Nishasuddin (former captain Bajaruddin's son) has expressed confidence that Tachin's presence helps the team mates walk out with confidence. Chairman of Selectors, Mr. Dahul Ravid has expressed his support for Tachin while former Indian team skippers Boney and Senguly refused to comment on the issue.

Monday, January 05, 2009

Socha na Tha....

To be frank, it came like a bolt from the blue sky. Once I got the link from good friend Nivi, I just decided to try my luck and sent 3 stories from whatever junk I had written.

The day I received mail that one of my stories was getting published, it took me some moment for the whole truth to sink in. "HOLY COW!!!!!" I yelled. Thank the lord I was not in office at that time, otherwise my Client manager must have thought that there was a fire breakout in the office. The sheer thought that my work is getting published in midst of people whose works makes mine feel like LKG rhymes is pretty hard to describe.

I wrote that story about 1.5 years before and had almost forgotten about it. But it is one of my personal favorites and was also my first attempt at writing a big story. I am thankful to my parents who grew me amidst Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha comics etc which helped love reading stories. I also thank Ms. Arti for publishing this story and giving me a chance to live my dream.

I am also thankful to the Indian Educational System for encouraging me to write huge stories in form of answers in examination Question papers. I have killed so many living people, made Alexander rule Bihar, appointed New York as the capital of the US, boiled water in experiments where it should have been frozen, defied escape velocity, collapsed benzene. The less I talk about Maths the better for you all :P.


Last but not the least, I am thankful to all my fellow bloggers and readers (whether they commented or not). All your comments, flowers, brickbats have helped me evolve from a writer whose work did not even get published in his school diary.

So all ya interested folks can view the details here and order the book here and I am sure that you wont be disappointed :)