Log in or Sign up

Have an Interesting Snippet to Share : Click Here
Dismiss Notice

Oh My God! Episode 5

Discussion in 'Saturdays with Varalotti' started by varalotti, Apr 24, 2009.

Page 1 of 6

Apr 24, 2009 #1
varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style>
OH MY GOD!

A Series By Varalotti Rengasamy

Episode 5

Yamini was down with a viral fever. She had been in bed for the last three days. The girls who were now two years old were not allowed to go near her for fear of infection.

Arvind spent most of his free time sitting by the side of Yamini and talking about everything under the sun.

Though they had employed two cooks and a live-in maid, Arvind insisted that he alone would feed Yamini.

It was a Thursday. Arvind had gone out for some work and had just returned home. He went to Yamini’s room and enquired how she felt.

“Are you ready for the supper, dear?” He asked his wife lovingly.

“I am hungry, Arvind. But if it is going to be the same bread and milk, I don’t want to eat. I simply can’t stand them any longer.”

Arvind laughed.

“I know honey. I called up the Doctor. He has allowed you to eat rice and other items.”

“That’s great.”

“I have asked the cooks to prepare some Jeera Milaku rasam. I have also asked them to smash cooked rice in a mixie, then mix it with the rasam and add a dash of ghee.

“And on the side you will have raw plantains gently roasted with some chilly powder and salt. A heavenly combination especially when you are not well.”

“Great. But I need one more item to make it perfect.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot the papads, Yamini. I haven’t asked the Doctor about Papads.”

“No buddhu, I am not talking about the papads. I want you to tell a story while you are feeding me.”

“Oh, that? No probs, honey. I will tell another story from my father’s Fiction Anthology. Something tells me that this is a real-life incident. And my Dad has embellished it and calls it fiction to protect his source.”

“I can’t wait any longer, Arvind.”

“Give me a few minutes, dear. I’ll check if the food is ready.”

Arvind made Yamini sit on her bed. He had propped her with pillows. The meticulously prepared rice-rasam mix was on a bowl which Arvind held in his hand. A small plate held the delicious side dish.

Yamini who had been eating nothing but bread for the past one week took out a portion of side dish and popped it in her mouth. It was yummy. Arvind took a spoonful of the rice-mix and gently placed it in Yamini’s mouth.

The taste was heavenly.

Arvind started telling the story written by KG.

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#1

Loading...
Similar Threads
1. Help My Wife Is Getting Hot Episodes
  
  MrCroc, Jan 19, 2023, in forum: Health & Wellness
  
  Replies:
  
  4
  
  Views:
  
  1,222
  
  DDream
  
  Jan 20, 2023
2. The Tanjore Empire - Series - Episode 1
  
  sureshmiyer, Oct 25, 2018, in forum: Stories (Fiction)
  
  Replies:
  
  6
  
  Views:
  
  1,557
  
  sureshmiyer
  
  Oct 26, 2018
3. So Who Killed Her ???? (final Episode) Episode 15
  
  sumalynux, Feb 13, 2018, in forum: Stories (Fiction)
  
  Replies:
  
  9
  
  Views:
  
  2,287
  
  sumalynux
  
  Feb 15, 2018
Apr 24, 2009 #2

varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><style>  </style>
Part 2

Raghavan could never have guessed that the newspaper he was idly browsing while tasting his cup of hot South Indian filter coffee was going to throw a couple of bombshells at him.

Raghavan was among the top fifty psychiatrists of Chennai. And if we care to include only those psychiatrists who enjoy a good mental health themselves in that list, then Raghavan would be among the top five.

He had the love and compassion to see a good human being even in the most violent of his patients. And also the professional capability to deliver that person from the clutches of his mental disease. His papers on treatment of violent psychiatric patients were well received at the international psychiatric conferences.

The daily paper was replete with news relating to bomb blasts, terrorist attacks and communal clashes. Amidst all these a box-news on page 3 attracted his attention.

Communal Clash Averted

<st1:city><st1lace>Coimbatore</st1lace></st1:city>, … . 1998

It was feared that the bomb blast that happened near the temple two days back might trigger a major communal clash resulting in the loss of human lives and property. It was averted at the nick of the time by the Islamic Leader Mr.Basheer Ahmed who participated in the talks held between the leaders of both the religions.

The peace formula laid down by Basheer Ahmed was unanimously accepted by all the parties, thus paving the way for peaceful co-existence of both the religious communities in the area. The Chief Minister contacted Basheer Ahmed by phone and congratulated him.

In the bomb blast that happened near the <st1lace><st1lacename>Mariamman</st1lacename> <st1lacetype>Temple</st1lacetype></st1lace>…

And that small piece of news provided a beautiful answer to the question that had been haunting Psychiatrist Raghavan for the last twenty years. He remembered the time when young Basheer was his patient. He could never imagine that the once violent schizophrenic would blossom into a charismatic leader later in his life.

Raghavan had a sense of fulfillment. He was happy. After all he too had a role in the making of Basheer Ahmed.

Raghavan had the shock of his life when he went on to the next page in the paper. Swami Sadbrahma Shivacharya had passed away.

Raghavan, who had not cried for anything but his mother’s death forty five years ago, was crying a child. He was sobbing so loudly that his wife ran from the kitchen to see him.

“What happened, dear?”

Raghavan could not speak. He just showed the news item to her. She also started crying.

On the face of it there could not be any connection between a mental patient turned into a religious leader and an old Hindu monk who had just died. But in this universe, as the quantum physicists and modern day spiritual gurus would love to say, we cannot even pluck a blade of grass without disturbing a star thousands of light years away.

Raghavan could not avoid taking a trip down the memory lane.

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#2
Apr 24, 2009 #3

varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style>
Part 3

Raghavan never gave a damn to poojas, rituals, temples and all. He was particularly allergic to the so called “Swamijis”. Most of them were charlatans exploiting the gullible people in the name of God and religion.

His wife Padma was his polar opposite. Whenever any Swamiji of any mutt, any cult or religious denomination visited the city she would be the first to fall at his feet and get his blessings.

It was their driver who was responsible for Raghavan’s meeting Swami Sadbrahma Shivacharya. It was a Sunday. Padma was getting ready to go to Swamiji’s lecture at the Music Academy. Their driver had not turned up.

Raghavan did not work on Sunday evenings. So Padma insisted that he should drive her to the meeting venue. Raghavan refused initially but could not put up with his wife’s continuous nagging. He relented.

While driving the car Raghavan was continuously cursing the Swamiji who had robbed him of his well deserved rest. His wife had had enough.

“I challenge you that if you just hear Swamiji once you will become his disciple.”

“No way.”

“Challenge?”

“Challenge.”

Raghavan should have gone home after dropping his wife at the gate. But now he had to go in along with his wife as part of the deal.

He thought he would pick up a few lines from the Swamiji’s speech and use them to tease his wife.

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#3
Apr 24, 2009 #4

varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><style>  </style>
Part 4

Raghavan and Padma were seated in the very first row. ‘What message will this charlatan have for an audience of nearly a thousand people?’

This thought made him impolite and indifferent. He was sitting very casually placing one leg over the other.

Exactly at the appointed time Swamiji appeared on the stage. He was very lean. That sent a strong message to the audience about Swamiji’s discipline in matters of food. Swamiji was very fair and tall.

When Swamiji glanced at his audience it looked as if he was hugging every one of them and kissing them on their foreheads. There was so much love in his small eyes. For a fraction of a second his eyes locked with those of Raghavan. Raghavan’s leg came down on its own. Raghavan placed his right hand over his heart as a sign of reverence. Padma was amused.

In a few minutes Swamiji’s majestic voice echoed throughout the large hall. Swamiji’s English was impeccable.

There is no better way of worshipping God than loving your fellow beings. There is no penance holier than compassion. To love a person for what he or she is, without any expectation is better than spending years of solitude on the top of <st1lace>Himalayas</st1lace> searching for God.

So long as you do not have love and compassion in your minds, you will be running after us, Swamijis, looking for peace.

If your mind is filled with compassion then peace will come to you on its own. You will not need the services of people like me. Sanyasis like me will be rendered jobless..

It is easy to love the entire humanity. Anybody can do it. But to love a bothersome neighbour, an irritating colleague or a nagging mother-in-law, well, that’s the real thing. You need lots and lots of love to do that. And some training too.

Why can’t we love our mothers-in-law, while it is pretty easy to love the image of our Holy Mother at the temple? The reasons are not far to seek. First..

Raghavan had never heard such a speech in his life. When Swamiji concluded his hour-long speech it was Raghavan who started a standing ovation for the Swamiji.

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#4
Apr 24, 2009 #5

varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><style>  </style>
Part 5

On their way home Padma was teasing her husband.

“You were cursing the Swamiji while going there. See what happened? You are silent. You can’t even speak. Just remember that you heard that wonderful speech only because of me. And now it’s time to shed your prejudice that all sanyasis are frauds.”

Raghavan’s mind was so full that he did not venture to speak.

When they retired for the day Raghavan held his wife’s hand and gracefully accepted his defeat.

Swamiji went down into his mind as a sweet memory. He never thought that he would meet the Swamiji again in his life – till he went to <st1:city><st1lace>Katmandu</st1lace></st1:city> for a conference six months later.

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#5
Apr 24, 2009 #6

varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><style>  </style>
Part 6

“Yamini, would you like to have some more?”

Yamini who was so much absorbed in the story just nodded her head. Arvind had already issued orders to the cooks to keep two more bowls of the rice-rasam mix hot and ready.

He pressed the bell near Yamini’s bed. One of the cooks came running with a bowl of rice-mix.

Yamini was at the Nepalese capital <st1:city><st1lace>Katmandu</st1lace></st1:city> eagerly waiting for Dr.Raghavan’s meeting with the Swamiji.

When Arvind took a spoonful of the mix Yamini opened her mouth wide to receive it.

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#6
Apr 24, 2009 #7

varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype>
Part 7

The Psychiatrists Annual Conference was held in <st1:city><st1lace>Katmandu</st1lace></st1:city> that year. Eager to see new places and old friends Raghavan signed up for the conference. Padma could not join him because of her health.

Raghavan had a good time in the Nepalese capital. That was the final day of the conference. Raghavan was browsing the programme sheet. He was pleasantly surprised to see that Swami Sadbrahma Shivacharya was going to deliver the Valedictory Address. ‘Is he the same person who talked at the <st1lace><st1lacename>Music</st1lacename><st1lacetype>Academy</st1lacetype></st1lace>?’ Raghavan started thinking.

The Swamiji was going to talk on Grace.

Raghavan did not want to take any chances. Raghavan sat in the front row thirty minutes before the commencement of the Valedictory session. Many of his colleagues were busy shopping.

It was the same Swamiji. He had become even leaner. Raghavan thought that the love in Swamiji’s eyes had increased. The majesty in his words and the force with which they were delivered had also gone up considerably.

“You can never pin point the source of Grace. I have known cases given up by renowned experts like you. Those people have been cured on their own. Alcoholic father, schizophrenic mother, suppressive poverty –any child who grows in this background is bound to have deep rooted psychiatric illness. The science of psychiatry is abundantly clear on that.

And that it is difficult to cure such acute cases of psychosis and neurosis. But even in these trying circumstances some children have grown to become great men later in their lives. What’s the reason? What could be the reason, but His Grace?”

I am not in anyway belittling your professional competence or your dedication. But if you people recognise God’s Grace as another dimension to solving the diseases of the mind, I am sure you will be doing a better service. And your service will become as noble as service to God Himself.

Swamiji then went on to explain the dynamics of prayer and the power of human mind.

<st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region>’s best psychiatrists were amazed by Swamiji’s knowledge about the intricacies of the human mind.

Last edited: Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#7
Apr 24, 2009 #8

varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style>
Part 8

The Psychiatrists Conference ended with a High Tea later in the evening. At that time Nepal was a Hindu Kingdom. King Birendra was on the throne. The King was the special invitee in the evening.

Swamiji was also invited because the delegates wanted to talk with him on many matters.

Raghavan was also there. At one point of time he came face to face with the Swamiji. He folded his hands towards him and introduced himself.

Swamiji started conversing with Raghavan as if he had known him for years. His tone was artless and natural.

“Doctor Raghavan, I hear that you are giving free psychiatric treatment to the poor in Chennai. And that you have an exclusive ward for those who can’t pay.”

Raghavan nodded.

“A very noble service, my friend. Please continue your work. And if you want anything from me, please let me know. I will put you on to the Administrator of my Mutt.”

Raghavan was searching for words to express his gratitude. But before he could speak the King had come there looking for the Swamiji.

Raghavan moved away. But from his place he could overhear the conversation that happened between the temporal majesty and the spiritual majesty.

Raghavan was impressed by the way the two people talked. King Birendra talked as if he were talking to an Emperor to whom he was paying tax. Swamiji was talking to the King as if he were an ordinary man like anybody else. There was no affectation or artificial modesty in Swamiji’s tone. Both of them had an absolute command over English.

“Swamiji, You have graced my Kingdom with your presence. I have one more prayer to you, Swamiji. I have organized a small feast for you at the Palace later in the evening. Only my family and a few of my ministers will be there. We will be beholden to you, if you could kindly sanctify my palace with your presence.”

“How am I going to thank Your Majesty for inviting this poor sanyasi to dine with you? But, Your Majesty, our Monastic Order has a very strict rule – not to eat anything after the lunch time. Our Order has been following this rule for a thousand years. If I myself violate this rule will I not be setting a bad precedent to the junior monks in the order? I am sorry to have to decline your invitation which I am sure is borne out of pure love. Please forgive this poor sanyasi, Your Majesty.”

Normally Royal invitations would be routed through the second or third level Protocol Officers. The King bypassed all the protocols and had extended a direct personal invitation to the Swamiji. And the grace with which Swamiji declined the invitation should have endeared him to the King even more. The King subtly switched the topic. He was conversing with Swamiji for a long time.

Raghavan could not meet the Swamiji thereafter. His mind had a strange sense of fulfillment when he started his journey back to his base.

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#8
Apr 24, 2009 #9

varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><style>  </style>
Part 9

“Some more, Yamini?”

Yamini nodded again. She did not apply her mind to Arvind’s question. She had not yet returned from <st1:city><st1lace>Katmandu</st1lace></st1:city>.

Arvind had asked the question when he had a few more spoonfuls of rice left in the bowl. Before he could finish that another bowl of hot rice-rasam mix and the yummy side dish were brought to him by the cooks.

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#9
Apr 24, 2009 #10

varalotti IL Hall of Fame

Messages:

9,047

Likes Received:

1,238

Trophy Points:

340

Gender:

Male

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style>
Part 10

Raghavan had seen the Swamiji only two times and had talked to him in person only once. Yet Swamiji had a very great impact on Raghavan.

Raghavan was by nature a soft and a loving man. He became even more so after his encounter with the saint. And in that state of mind he did not have the heart to refuse any patient – even the most violent ones rejected by all the psychiatrists in the city.

Basheer was one such case. Even when he was brought to him for preliminary consultation he was bound by thick iron chains. It was a pathetic and a horrible sight - dirty, disheveled hair, unshaven face, lean, black body and the unbearable stench that came from him – no wonder the other hospitals simply drove him out.

As soon as Basheer’s father saw Raghavan he fell at his feet and washed it with his tears.

“Doctor, you are like a God to me. Even if he is not cured, it’s okay. Just keep him in your place till he lives. I’ll foot all the expenses. Please, Doctor. You are my only hope.”

Raghavan wanted to know Basheer’s background. Basheer’s father spoke with a trembling voice.

When Basheer was just ten years old he saw his uncle raping his eight year old sister. That made him one of the most violent schizophrenics, the field of psychiatry had ever known. Ten years of intensive psychiatric treatment given to him only served to make him more violent.

Raghavan’s problems started the moment Basheer was admitted into his nursing home. He could not simply be managed even by the burly male nurses whom Raghavan had appointed for his sake. He would bite the nurse’s hand. Once he threw his food-plate on an attendant with so much force that the poor fellow had to be hospitalized for a few weeks.

On many nights Basheer’s violent screams would frighten the other inmates who would also start screaming in fear. Basheer would then be heavily sedated and would sleep for two days at a stretch.

Raghavan was at his wits’ end. He did not want to expel Basheer. At the same he had to remind himself of the duties he owed to the other patients. It was a case of a classical moral dilemma.

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

varalotti, Apr 24, 2009

#10

(You must log in or sign up to reply here.)

Page 1 of 6

Share This Page