Some things are destined to be, it just happens in the second attempt

Some things are destined to be, it just happens in the second attempt

By

Murali Murthy

Vasudevan sits on his desk in the staff room and keeps staring at Lakshmi, while he prepares for his next class.

Lakshmi's bubbly, chirpy nature with her bright, healing smile makes Vasudevan's day, but the shy natured guy does not have the courage to go and even engage a conversation with Lakshmi.

Both Lakshmi and Vasudevan are at their first Job at a School, Vasudevan being the Senior Teacher.

The sweet and shy natured Vasudevan was fondly Called as Vasu by everyone.

Lakshmi was a simple yet lively young woman who used to always be on a Saree and loved decorating her hairs with flowers.

And Vasu used to love watching her giggling and swaying in and out of the Staff room.

One fine day, Vasu gathers courage, gets a pack of Jasmine Flowers and starts walking towards Lakshmi with an intent to express his interest in her. That day Lakshmi seemed more happier, as she was distributing Sweets to the staff...Lakshmi with her usual contagious smile walks to Vasu and offers him Sweets "Vasu, I am engaged and going to be wedded soon to a Man chosen by my parents".

Vasu is in a state of shock, about to burst in tears, yet manages to hide his emotions and congratulates Lakshmi and walks out.

After couple of months, even Vasu's parents finds a bride for him.

Vasu slowly forgets about Lakshmi and moves on to build his happy family.

Present day - Lakshmi is now in her early 60s. She is in a pleasant, calm, serene farm house...but alone in a room, sad and eyes filled with tears. She peeps out of the window and starts sobbing more as she sees the board of the Farm House "Prakruthi Old Age home".

Lakshmi goes to the dining hall at lunch time and helps herself with some food. As she lifts her head up to ask the man serving the food "Enough, 2 Chapati is enough", she starts wondering who is this man as she pauses for a moment and points at the man and enquires "Vasu?"

Vasu in his late 60s wonders for a second, but soon recognizes Lakshmi and exclaims with eyes wide open "Lakshmi!!"

Lakshmi wears a smile back on her face after a long time, as Vasu asks her to take a table, and he would join soon after helping the fellow oldies serving their food.

Vasu soon joins Lakshmi and starts catching up "So, How have you been? How did you land here?"

"My wife passed away few years ago, Son flew to US pursuing his career. And he knows I dont like company of relatives or friends, so he thought this would be the best for me, instead of staying alone, as I dont want to goto US"

"Good, you have changed a lot, couldn't recognize you at all"

"Yeah, age is catching up...you look the same, though the Saree has become much simpler, I could quickly recognise you. So, how come you are here?"

Lakshmi bursts into tears and starts sobbing loudly. Vasu comforts her, and asks her to finish her lunch first.

Later, they both take a slow walk in the farm and Lakshmi explains "My husband met with an accident 10 years ago, and my Son was my only world. He got married 5 years ago, and now has a wonderful daughter and a Wife that he loves a lot."

"Recently I developed cough, which he and his wife thought it's disturbing them."

"One day my Son said he will take me out..despite asking many times, he kept saying, you just come with me. He only packed my stuff."

"I thought he was taking me to a pilgrimage, but after a short drive, he got me to this place...tears rolled down my eyes, as I realized he has brought me to this old age home. There was deafening silence between us. He didnt explain anything, I didnt ask anything. He completed all formalities, asked me to take care and he would keep visiting, and just left"

Vasu couldn't believe this happened to Lakshmi and felt sad his bubbly, lovely Lakshmi has become this.

Vasu and Lakshmi spent more time together, cheering themselves up, and trying to find happiness in each other's company.

This happiness was short lived, as Lakshmi's cough aggravated. When she started coughing out blood, a shocked Vasu stared at Lakshmi, as she clarifies in a low shivering voice "Yes Vasu, I am diagnosed with Cancer.."

Vasu couldn't stop himself, hugged Lakshmi tightly and both of them cried loudly.

Vasu vowed to himself that this is not the end of the world and he would do everything to heal her.

Vasu took Laksmi to the best doctor and soon began her Chemotherapy.

As Lakshmi's energy, hairs started to slump, Vasu was besides her all the time, taking care of her.

"Vasu, you know much I loved decorating my hairs with flowers, now where do I wear them!?"

Both burst out of laughter.

One year passed, and the doctor gives them a good news that the Chemo worked well on Lakshmi and the Cancer is almost cured.

Both Vasu and Lakshmi are elated as they joyfully celebrate this news with all inmates.

Later that night, Lakshmi enters Vasu's room, locks door, sits next to Vasu holding his hands "Vasu, it's a second chance that God has given me. And this was possible only because of your grit, love, affection, care and concern"

"I don't know how to thank you, so I give myself to you. I know you loved me, though you didn't express it, I could see it in your eyes. Even though I liked you, I didn't have the courage to tell you then."

"I know it sounds strange and I sound like a teenager. But I owe this new life to you, and I would like to rekindle the time we have lost together"

"Lakshmi, but what about people around, what about our family, what would they think of us?"

"I don't care for others anymore. I have always lived my life under the thumb of others. I want to now live for myself and my needs. When I was going through the most painful and difficult stage of my life, only you stood by and no one else"

Both were relieved and love bloomed.

One of the inmates asked Vasu one day "So, what's your relation with Lakshmi? Are you both getting married?"

"We don't want to give a name to our relation. It's romantic sometimes, it's intimate sometimes, I become her father, and her son when I have to take care of her. She becomes my mother and my sister to take care of me. Otherwise, most of the other times, we are good friends!"

Kaapi

KAAPI

By

Murali Murthy

As the freshly opened pack of Coffee powder is stuffed into the steel Filter and hot water is poured, the aroma of the fresh coffee surrounds the house.

This is a typical start of the day in most of the south indian houses.

The most revered, loved, romanticized, favourite Drink in South India - Kaapi.

It's an unwritten rule that the Man of the house takes the responsibility to bring Milk early in the morning, prepare the coffee filter. As the coffee decoction drips down the filter, we all wake up to the fresh coffee smell that embraces entire house.

And the love affair starts, as we begin our marathon Coffee drinking through out the day.

The fresh aroma of the coffee decoction, served piping hot in our favourite steel/coffee mug, the froth on the top layer and the steam coming out of the cup.

For most of us, our body engine doesn't start with one dose of Kaapi in the morning.

Irrespective of the age, I have seen people traditionally having multiple rounds of coffee - immediately after brushing teeth, one round before the bath, another round after the breakfast, and it goes on for atleast 5 to 10 times a day.

We are obsessed and very particular with the cup in which we have our coffee, and we love to have kaapi at our own home.

Though it is customary to offer Coffee to all our guests:

"Swalpa kaapi koDthini"

"Thumba kammi, ardha cup koDi"

, we would still anyday like coffee at our home.

Coffee itself is so addictive and magical drink, that it can be had at every event at any time of the day. Be it when you wake up in the morning, after breakfast, after a meal, when tired, break during journey, when not feeling well, when feeling cold, with a cigarette, after a good boozing session, when having a headache, friends meet, or just like that.

Even in marriage functions, the elders are seen demanding coffee early in the morning, after the breakfast and after every meal.

Most of us are particular on having a good filter Kaapi and not the instant coffees - Bru or Nescafe. I personally ask if it's a filter coffee that they serve in hotels and if it's Instant coffee, I would rather prefer Tea.

Unfortunately, this wonder drink is not easily available once we go out of Karnataka. Afterall, Karnataka produces 70% of coffee in India and Coorg/Chikmagalur has a history dating back to 16th Century when the coffee was introduced in our culture.

Many Doctors these days insist their patients to stop drinking coffee, which is equivalent and as painful as someone asking us to totally stop smoking or drinking.

And this love for kaapi has made people to name their joints that naturally attracts us, be it kaapi katte, jagli kaapi, hatti kaapi, kaapi corner, mane kaapi, kaapi kendra or Coffee Day.

There is nothing like the first cup of Kaapi in the morning, the slurring sips of the hot coffee is savoured to feel the aromatic magic potion that motivates to wake up and take the day head on.

I know many friends and relatives who love their coffee so much, that I think they believe humanity runs on Coffee.

I only wish someone looks at me the way I look at my Coffee!

Kaapi - it's an inspiration, motivation, rejuvenator, refreshing magic drink!

"Decoction iLitha idhe...Kaapi kudkoNd hogi"

Naturality

NATURALITY

By

Murali Murthy

Nature has given us so many exquisite things around us that keeps us awestruck. The creator's creativity must be lauded and be inspired.

Be it the green grass, the mountains, the blue sky, rivers, oceans, rains, trees, forests, the sun, the moon, the stars, the chirping birds, animals and we humans.

Humans are indeed an exceptional creation who came pre-loaded with abilities to be the next level creator.

The inborn skill to love, think and create.

And humans didn't disappoint the creator, we came up with our own version of Gods, defied laws of nature to overlay our own version of the world on what was created.

Our inquisitive nature made us to bend all rules, we flew out of earth to explore space, we demolished trees, dried up water bodies to build cities.

So much that the beautiful creation of love and intimacy between a man and a woman, whose physical appearance and bodies were designed to love each other and union. But many bent that rule also and started loving same gender!

The human bodies itself is an institution, which is designed to function so efficiently and adapt.

Every part and process of our body is a miracle.

For example, take the menstruation in women. A detailed cleansing process to clean and prepare the system for a possible reproduction, every single month. End of the period, the woman gets a new glow, skin becomes soft and tender.

And this wonder of a process comes at a cost, as women go through emotional, mental and physical struggle during those 3 to 5 days.

It's like God showing his attitude "I have created you with the sole purpose of breeding, and I don't care what your plans and interests are, I will forcefully prepare you each month".

Why can't it be like a Man's system? Our system kicks in only "On Demand"!!

Another instance to prove 100% automation is not good all the time, some manual intervention is required to keep it practical!

All these magic and this ability to think the way we do, are not done by the creator every day, all these qualities and abilities are hardwired and pre-configured.

Lucky are those whose homes are in some of the places with nature's charm in abundance.

Irony, they all look to relocate to Cities in search of livelihood, and we city-bred look to their places in search of peace and tranquility.

It's quite natural to be attracted to some of the best creations of nature, because we are designed to drool praising the flair of the creator - be it the greenery, rains, mountains, beaches or Women!