"Everything in this world is protected by God. God will do anything to keep us safe. If we pray to him, he will shower his love to us. To keep everyone happy, my Lord Venkateswarar work day and night."
People feed the children with food. Most of the also feed faith of God. If it rains, it is because of God. If a tremor hits, it is because of God. If a guy has a fever, it is because of God. If a successful sperm fuses with egg and comes out as fetus, it is because of God. If one sneezes, it is because of God. If a big tower is hit by a hijacked plane, it is because of God. If a woman gets raped by a group of people, it is because of God.
Ramakrishnan is one such child from a small village called Erachakulam in Tamilnadu. His parents fed food to him. And his granny fed him a lot of Hindu mythological stories. He believed that God and his father are the ultimate superstars of the universe. The kid developed a great love towards God. He slept keeping Lord Krishna's idol near his pillow. He used to go to temple twice a day. He used to tell all Slokas with his granny. He started to feel that he was a close friend of Lord Krishna.
"Oh God! Last time for Quarterly Examination, I prayed that some of the questions should not come and you did that for me. But this time, you turned deaf ear to me. I understand that you have to serve crores and crores of people. But you have to put me in high priority since I chant slokas and visit you in temple twice a day. Granny said that you don't expect fees. But I offered you one Rupee in Hundial as well. It is okay. It is your duty to fill the unanswered questions and get me good marks. Vasudeva Sugamdevam .... Krishnam Vante Jagadgurum."
"How much fees should we pay to him, Granny?"
"You have immense love on him and pray him from your heart. He will certainly help you free of cost."
"How should I pray?"
"Join your palms like this. Close your eyes. Think of Lord Krishna."
"Then."
"Say Hare Rama Hare Rama! Rama Rama Hare Hare! Hare Krishna Hare Krishna! Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!"
"Hare Rama Hare Rama! Rama Rama Hare Hare! Hare Krishna Hare Krishna! Krishna Krishna Hare Hare"
Ramakrishnan is one such child from a small village called Erachakulam in Tamilnadu. His parents fed food to him. And his granny fed him a lot of Hindu mythological stories. He believed that God and his father are the ultimate superstars of the universe. The kid developed a great love towards God. He slept keeping Lord Krishna's idol near his pillow. He used to go to temple twice a day. He used to tell all Slokas with his granny. He started to feel that he was a close friend of Lord Krishna.
Days gone by. Ramakrishnan started going to school. Ramakrishnan used to pray that everyone in the world should be happy. From a certain stage, he started to demand God for his personal needs. He succeeded in everything for which he prayed the God. He started to believe that everything goes well since he says Slokas.
It was Half Yearly Examination in the school. Ramakrishnan was studying class fifth then. It was Science exam. Ramkarishnan did not know answer for many questions. He left those questions blank. He came back home and prayed,
"Oh God! Last time for Quarterly Examination, I prayed that some of the questions should not come and you did that for me. But this time, you turned deaf ear to me. I understand that you have to serve crores and crores of people. But you have to put me in high priority since I chant slokas and visit you in temple twice a day. Granny said that you don't expect fees. But I offered you one Rupee in Hundial as well. It is okay. It is your duty to fill the unanswered questions and get me good marks. Vasudeva Sugamdevam .... Krishnam Vante Jagadgurum."
Granny told Ramakrishnan Mahabharatha and Ramayana stories during the Half yearly holidays. A doubt came up in his mind.
"Granny! Granny! Why enemity grew between Pandavas and Gauravas?"
"Gauravas cheated Pandavas and defeated them in a dice game."
"So it grew up into a war where many people died."
"Yes."
"If Krishna made their mind not to play dice, the war wouldn't have happened. So it was his mistake to come late. Krishna is the culprit."
"Don't talk like that. He did like that because he wanted to prove the world that if somebody cheats and wins, the victory will not sustain for a long time and he will be punished by the God."
"Oh. Why can't he stopped the cheating thoughts of Gauravas rather? It would have saved many people life in the war. And I have one more question. Why the God could not stop Dasaratha from marrying many wives? If he have stopped with one, Rama would have been the only son. No troubles of going to forest and Ravana wouldn't have come to the scenario."
"If you keep on talking like this, God will not help you."
"He will not. I have asked this to him directly today morning in temple, he did not reply. May be he is guilty. I asked him to be careful hereafter."
The holidays passed by and the examination papers came.
"Did I reduce the number of times I tell the sloka? See my cheek. It has fingermarks of my father. Don't you feel ashamed? You already did a mistake in Mahabaratha and now once more in my case. I advised you to be careful. I'm not going to excuse you for this. I will not pray you hereafter. I'm picking some other God. The Lion faced. Narasimha! Lord Narasimha!! You killed Hiranyakashipu since he tortured his son Prahalada. See your devotee's cheek. It has fingermark of his father. Let it be a first warning for him. Don't start to tear his stomach now itself. It is because of Lord Krishna. Tear his stomach if you want."
Things went smoothly for another three years and he started to believe that God is not a magician. The number of times he told the Sloka reduced. He visited temple daily and he still had faith in god but in lesser degree when compared to few years back. One day his granny became sick and was on the verge of death. Ramakrishnan went near Krishna's idol in home and said,
"Krishna. It has been three years since I talked with you. I was silly. How could I expect you to write an exam? It is forgery. I should not have thought that. Leave that, I should not have criticized you that you have done a mistake in Mahabaratha. You might have been busy in some other task. High priority work!! Thilaka paatti have said slokas about you for more than crores time. Make her to live. I promise you that she will say your sloka for crores and crores times. Please. Please."
Ramakrishnan went to school the next day. A person who stayed near to his home interrupted the class and took him home stating that her grandmother died. Ramakrishnan was not able to see her face. He took the Krishna idol and ran towards the pond. He threw it into the pond.
He started to hate the term called God. He stopped going to temple. This continued still his college days. He studied commerce in Nagercoil, the nearby town.
"Krishna tonight we have festival in temple. Are you coming?"
"I hate God."
"I know that. But most of the young girls of Nagercoil will be in temple. We can find Miss. Nagercoil."
"No Giri."
"Okay come to temple. Don't see the God. We will roam in the temple premises. Okay."
"Let you know in the evening."
Evening at Nagaraja temple,
"Krishna! Her name is Nandhini. She is from Vadiveeswarsam. Oh my God! See her. Black beauty."
"I've come to temple after seven years in an extremely different intention."
"Who comes to worship God? See that lady's face. She is staring at the other lady's necklace. She will keep in mind the model of necklace and will ask her husband to exactly get her one like that. We are looking for girls. If God sees this, he will fire us. I think there is nothing called God. Just a belief."
"(Laughs) Philosophy. You missed that violet half saree explaining this useless thing."
"She is beautiful."
"Wow. Lets go and stand in the queue. So that we can follow her."
"But you said you will not see the God. Anyways anything for violet half saree."
"I haven't seen such a beautiful girl in Nagercoil before. Which area is she from?"
"We will find it today itself."
"Two years of college. But we missed it completely. How she was missed from our horizon?"
"The queue do not seem to move. Why? May be neivadhayam (feeding food to God)"
A third person, "Law minister is coming to temple. So they have stopped the queue. These people started to show their supremacy even in temple. God save us."
Ramakrishnan turns and shouts, "God will show his middle finger. He will not save you. Still you are thinking he will set everything right. He will sit idle there. My granny said that everyone is equal to God. Will God come and stop the minister and ask him to come in queue? No. You foolish people stand in a queue thinking about God and you come out with cow's shit in your forehead and a laddu in your mouth. Nothing else. That is what the difference you are going to get out of this so called God. Giri! I'm leaving. See you tomorrow in the class."
Next day in the college, cricket match was running in canteen television.
"Krishna. The way you behaved in the temple yesterday is not at all good."
"Then what? Everything is because of God. People are made to wait for a single person in God's own place. What was that God doing? Is he too waiting for honorable minister?"
"Don't talk nonsense. The way you talk created more trouble to people than the trouble caused by waiting in queue. In a place where people believe about something, you should not talk like that."
"Hmm. Hmm. Then God can do anything write. Let see if this commentator. What is his name? Yes, Harsha Bhogle get back his lost hairs."
"How can he do that?"
"He is God."
"What is your problem?"
"I hate God."
"That is the problem. Have you seen anything in the name of God."
"Yeah, the man Gods. Premananda. Sadly the God is in jail."
"Not about fakes. The Gods you see in temple."
"No."
"You have the answer for your behavior. You have not seen the God. So the God does not exist. How can you love or hate a non existing thing? God is just a belief."
"No philosophies."
"You think of it."
After few days in Erachakulam Ramakrishnan's home
"I stopped hating God from now."
"Lord Perumal!! You have fulfilled my demand."
"Mom! It is only half done.I neither love him."
"Atleast you have changed like this. Will you go to temple?"
"Yes."
"That is enough for now."
"I ask Sivasubramanian uncle to take you to the temple."
In temple,
"Good that your hatred to God have come to an end. If you see any one, if they have faith in God, God will take him to places. Believe me or not. I never thought, I will become a bank officer. It is all because of God. You can see the case of any one. The faith in God will save you to survive in life. You may understand it when you get older." The advise continued till they came out.
"What are you looking for uncle?"
"I left my slippers here. But it is missing."
"(Laughs) It is not missing uncle. It is stolen. You believed in God. He took you places and he took your slippers as well. God is not able to safeguard slippers uncle."
"People say if a slipper is stolen in temple, good deed awaits you."
"You believe in that way. I see how madly you believe in God. God does not exist. God is void."
"A point is a circle of zero radius. You cannot see it. But it does exist. God is like a point."
"Uncle let stop with this. If we discuss more like this, God will not safeguard my slippers as well."
"Badava(smiles)."
After eight years,
Ramakrishnan was a charted accountant then and was like a icon in the village. He continued in the void space. The youngsters in the village became addicted to alcohol and people were thinking for a solution
"Uncle. Many youngsters are addicted to alcohol. We have to do something."
"Pray God."
"Something practical?"
"What is this month?"
"November."
"Then it is simple."
"Uncle. I can understand. But is not for married people. Youngsters, bachelors."
"Oh My God! Time for you to get married."
"So what is your plan Erachakulam Chanakya Mr. Sivasubramanian."
"The plan is to make everyone to undergo pilgrimage to Sabarimala."
"Shit!! Be practical uncle."
"I'm practical. The people have to undergo Deeksha for 48 days."
"So what?"
"There is a saying that if something is practiced for 21 continuous days, it becomes a habit. You have 2 sets of 21 days and additional 6 days. Let us give a try."
"How can we force every one to come to Sabarimala?"
"Leave that to me."
The next day,
"Ayyappan has come to Sivasubramanian Iyer. People can come and get blessings of him.", this news was spread like fire. Everybody in the village assembled at his home.
"Every single man. Ssshh.. Everyone... Come to Sabarimala.. Sssssh. This Makarajothi (sankranthi day)... Have deeksha for 48 days.. Sssh.. Severe Deeksha.. If somebody disobeys, I will kill them... Sssh,... .Ssh. Will you come? SSsh (Loudly) Will you come? Every male from age of 10"
Everybody started taking Deeksha. The wine shops and bars in the village were closed. The toddy shop in the nearby village had no buyers. It was like seeing 325 Gods when seeing 325 people of a village singing songs about God and chanting Swamiye Saranam Aiyappa.
"Mr. Sivasubramanian samy! Is smoking allowed? By the by I am Ganesh from Mela street."
"(In anger and shouts) Swamiye Saranam Aiyappa."
"God! Don't curse me. I'll not smoke."
People stopped drinking and smoking. Ramakrishnan was very happy and thanked Siva for the idea. Days gone by and the village people started to Sabarimala in 10 buses.
The people returned back to village.
"So any soft corner?"
"I will not stop my mom saying Mahabaratha and Ramayana to my children."
"So you understood what is God for?"
"Not exactly."
"People may need something to motivate or fear. May be the next generation will not need God element."
"Element to get things done. But it has to stop. Then where will be the place for self control. We will be in need of a company for everything then."
"May be a temporary solution."
Ramkrishnan switched on the TV. Harsha Bhogle was commentating. This time with head full of hair.
The next day evening, the wine shop in the village was decorated beautifully with colorful lights. It had a boarding saying, "Welcome to all Ayyappa who have returned from Sabarimala. 40% discount for second order and omelette is served free for the purchase of half and full. Only for Erachakulam Sabarimala returns. Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa."
"Uncle. Need your help once again."
He started to hate the term called God. He stopped going to temple. This continued still his college days. He studied commerce in Nagercoil, the nearby town.
"Krishna tonight we have festival in temple. Are you coming?"
"I hate God."
"I know that. But most of the young girls of Nagercoil will be in temple. We can find Miss. Nagercoil."
"No Giri."
"Okay come to temple. Don't see the God. We will roam in the temple premises. Okay."
"Let you know in the evening."
Evening at Nagaraja temple,
"Krishna! Her name is Nandhini. She is from Vadiveeswarsam. Oh my God! See her. Black beauty."
"I've come to temple after seven years in an extremely different intention."
"Who comes to worship God? See that lady's face. She is staring at the other lady's necklace. She will keep in mind the model of necklace and will ask her husband to exactly get her one like that. We are looking for girls. If God sees this, he will fire us. I think there is nothing called God. Just a belief."
"(Laughs) Philosophy. You missed that violet half saree explaining this useless thing."
"She is beautiful."
"Wow. Lets go and stand in the queue. So that we can follow her."
"But you said you will not see the God. Anyways anything for violet half saree."
"I haven't seen such a beautiful girl in Nagercoil before. Which area is she from?"
"We will find it today itself."
"Two years of college. But we missed it completely. How she was missed from our horizon?"
"The queue do not seem to move. Why? May be neivadhayam (feeding food to God)"
A third person, "Law minister is coming to temple. So they have stopped the queue. These people started to show their supremacy even in temple. God save us."
Ramakrishnan turns and shouts, "God will show his middle finger. He will not save you. Still you are thinking he will set everything right. He will sit idle there. My granny said that everyone is equal to God. Will God come and stop the minister and ask him to come in queue? No. You foolish people stand in a queue thinking about God and you come out with cow's shit in your forehead and a laddu in your mouth. Nothing else. That is what the difference you are going to get out of this so called God. Giri! I'm leaving. See you tomorrow in the class."
Next day in the college, cricket match was running in canteen television.
"Krishna. The way you behaved in the temple yesterday is not at all good."
"Then what? Everything is because of God. People are made to wait for a single person in God's own place. What was that God doing? Is he too waiting for honorable minister?"
"Don't talk nonsense. The way you talk created more trouble to people than the trouble caused by waiting in queue. In a place where people believe about something, you should not talk like that."
"Hmm. Hmm. Then God can do anything write. Let see if this commentator. What is his name? Yes, Harsha Bhogle get back his lost hairs."
"How can he do that?"
"He is God."
"What is your problem?"
"I hate God."
"That is the problem. Have you seen anything in the name of God."
"Yeah, the man Gods. Premananda. Sadly the God is in jail."
"Not about fakes. The Gods you see in temple."
"No."
"You have the answer for your behavior. You have not seen the God. So the God does not exist. How can you love or hate a non existing thing? God is just a belief."
"No philosophies."
"You think of it."
After few days in Erachakulam Ramakrishnan's home
"I stopped hating God from now."
"Lord Perumal!! You have fulfilled my demand."
"Mom! It is only half done.I neither love him."
"Atleast you have changed like this. Will you go to temple?"
"Yes."
"That is enough for now."
"I ask Sivasubramanian uncle to take you to the temple."
In temple,
"Good that your hatred to God have come to an end. If you see any one, if they have faith in God, God will take him to places. Believe me or not. I never thought, I will become a bank officer. It is all because of God. You can see the case of any one. The faith in God will save you to survive in life. You may understand it when you get older." The advise continued till they came out.
"What are you looking for uncle?"
"I left my slippers here. But it is missing."
"(Laughs) It is not missing uncle. It is stolen. You believed in God. He took you places and he took your slippers as well. God is not able to safeguard slippers uncle."
"People say if a slipper is stolen in temple, good deed awaits you."
"You believe in that way. I see how madly you believe in God. God does not exist. God is void."
"A point is a circle of zero radius. You cannot see it. But it does exist. God is like a point."
"Uncle let stop with this. If we discuss more like this, God will not safeguard my slippers as well."
"Badava(smiles)."
After eight years,
Ramakrishnan was a charted accountant then and was like a icon in the village. He continued in the void space. The youngsters in the village became addicted to alcohol and people were thinking for a solution
"Uncle. Many youngsters are addicted to alcohol. We have to do something."
"Pray God."
"Something practical?"
"What is this month?"
"November."
"Then it is simple."
"Uncle. I can understand. But is not for married people. Youngsters, bachelors."
"Oh My God! Time for you to get married."
"So what is your plan Erachakulam Chanakya Mr. Sivasubramanian."
"The plan is to make everyone to undergo pilgrimage to Sabarimala."
"Shit!! Be practical uncle."
"I'm practical. The people have to undergo Deeksha for 48 days."
"So what?"
"There is a saying that if something is practiced for 21 continuous days, it becomes a habit. You have 2 sets of 21 days and additional 6 days. Let us give a try."
"How can we force every one to come to Sabarimala?"
"Leave that to me."
The next day,
"Ayyappan has come to Sivasubramanian Iyer. People can come and get blessings of him.", this news was spread like fire. Everybody in the village assembled at his home.
"Every single man. Ssshh.. Everyone... Come to Sabarimala.. Sssssh. This Makarajothi (sankranthi day)... Have deeksha for 48 days.. Sssh.. Severe Deeksha.. If somebody disobeys, I will kill them... Sssh,... .Ssh. Will you come? SSsh (Loudly) Will you come? Every male from age of 10"
Everybody started taking Deeksha. The wine shops and bars in the village were closed. The toddy shop in the nearby village had no buyers. It was like seeing 325 Gods when seeing 325 people of a village singing songs about God and chanting Swamiye Saranam Aiyappa.
"Mr. Sivasubramanian samy! Is smoking allowed? By the by I am Ganesh from Mela street."
"(In anger and shouts) Swamiye Saranam Aiyappa."
"God! Don't curse me. I'll not smoke."
People stopped drinking and smoking. Ramakrishnan was very happy and thanked Siva for the idea. Days gone by and the village people started to Sabarimala in 10 buses.
The people returned back to village.
"So any soft corner?"
"I will not stop my mom saying Mahabaratha and Ramayana to my children."
"So you understood what is God for?"
"Not exactly."
"People may need something to motivate or fear. May be the next generation will not need God element."
"Element to get things done. But it has to stop. Then where will be the place for self control. We will be in need of a company for everything then."
"May be a temporary solution."
Ramkrishnan switched on the TV. Harsha Bhogle was commentating. This time with head full of hair.
The next day evening, the wine shop in the village was decorated beautifully with colorful lights. It had a boarding saying, "Welcome to all Ayyappa who have returned from Sabarimala. 40% discount for second order and omelette is served free for the purchase of half and full. Only for Erachakulam Sabarimala returns. Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa."
"Uncle. Need your help once again."
Ramanan. Great. nice thought and writing. I like this "People may need something to motivate or fear. May be the next generation will not need God element"
ReplyDeleteThanks ji.
DeleteClimax sema mass!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Achu
Deletegood da.. try to increase the width of your blog page from the settings.. it ll give an impression that the post is not a long one and make many people read.. a small blogger tip.. somehow i get a feeling that your stories are a bti superficial.. may be because you are trying to cram too much into a story.. try writing a short incident more descriptively for an experiment? Just to test yourself in it ..
ReplyDeleteDefinitely na. Will try out.
Delete