Veerappan in Thekkady

7.30 am in the bus stand!

An official long trip after a long time. I was excited for two reasons. 
One, I was going to a town in Kerala where my firm footprints has not being made. Two, I was also cruising through the last few pages of Veerappan, a memoir on life and death of Koose Munnisamy Veerappan as narrated by Mr.Vijaykumar. 

To cut all hell that broke loose, I had paused to read that morning before I left for the bus stand. Completing pages of books during my travel in super luxurious KSRTC lovably called "Elephant" was my favourite past time. Thanks to the nature of my sales job, travelling has always been fun. Ticket that the conductor issued would take me to Thekkady. A high range tourist destination preciously aligned between slopes and valley's. 

STF had managed to infiltrate into Veerappan's camp back in 2003 and I was here in the first seat of bus allotted for the conductor, reading a briefing of that operation published as book 14 years since then. Privacy and convenience that the seat offered had always attracted me to that particular seat. All I had to do is a little negotiation with the conductor.

The driver's attitude matched with the likes of MS Dhoni in-field. Ruckus created by teen riders and elderly drivers on a narrow stretch of road from Kothamangalam was handled so swiftly that I could deeply immerse into narrative of the book. Only moment of distraction was when I gazed in awe at the pages describing Muthulakshmi's encounter with Ramya which would further detail the romance between Veerappan and Muthulakshmi(Veerappan's wife). Her description about how Veerappan was a bad father readily left a impact in me and that was when shadows of trees closed in and out of the pages I was reading. Texture of paper used in the book added to its beauty, for a moment, I felt like there would be some inscription hidden in the pages longing to unravel during this natures play. I soon realized, it was my love for the Hollywood movie 'National Treasure' put into thoughts. A moment that I paused to witness the majestic beauty of mountains clad with hush green troughs. 

Nerimangalam and forward. I smiled within myself realizing one unique fact that I just observed in this journey. I thought to myself, which should have been the answer to question which my ex-boss asked 4 years back while i was sitting opposite to him for my first ever interview of my life. The question i always recollect to think about.

"What do you find different or unique about Kerala after living in Tamil Nadu for so long?". 

It took me five years in Kerala to find an answer to that question. From geographical terrain, sloped roofs on houses, compound walls to the side leaning shoulder of famous Malayalam superstar Mohanlal most commonly addressed as Lal Ettan in which Ettan translates into big brother. Slopes and inclinations are so common in Kerala. I laughed at my silly thoughts right after.

Half-past one in the timer since the driver first accelerated from where I boarded. I could zoom into fine dew drops on the algae leaves each time as driver slows down for vehicles from other side to pass in the narrow road. Guy holding the steering seemed unusually cool for a person accelerating through hilly terrain. From his confident expressions and facial gestures I thought to myself, it might either be knowledge of this route or his romance and love for motor machines. None among 49 other fellow travelers of mine in the bus had or expressed any doubts of reaching destination. Quite ironic a confidence for travelers experiencing the fast and furious ride in that terrain.

Idukki dam closed in as the thumping piston inside 6 cylinder engine with cranking sound loudly roared along the inclining steep. "Operation Boston", named after Boston tea party had failed, as described in the book. And that added to my agony. At one instance when the pages read, Durai who was instrumental in eliminating the notorious don Veeramani in the busy streets of Chennai at a point-blank range in the disguise of a sanyasi was pulled in to the mission to be disguised again but as an arms dealer, I could hear the raging acceleration. If I had a looping device then, the raging noise in loop would have gone as background music to that situation.

Price tag of Hotel Vyshak in Guruvayoor was my page marker. I closed the book to go back into enjoying the wilderness of forest range that had just started. Every time tires split the clogged water on the road it rippled back to clog potholes as the sixteen-ton machine cruised through hilly Ghats.

The mesmerizing view of Periyar was yet to be seen and I had a lot in store. Confused between going back into operation cocoon, the real mission that nabbed Veerappan dead, and the mesmerizing beauty of Idukki as penned down my many lyricists, latest being the one from the Malayalam movie 'Maheshinte Prathikaram'- a notable one. I had come to think at the very moment that the beauty of Idukki can never be narrated as a story but only as a rhyme or a poem, something that reminds readers of a soulful flow.

As the journey continued, I could see the slope pattern repeating in the flow of water cutting through the ghat roads as well. The water pouring down brushing through the rock walls in the sides made a natural waterfall for the insects and then the stream found its own course making it look like a river projected in an architects prototype model. For a moment I thought children who start to walk and these natural streams are kinds of the same. Both of them take their own course unless there is a path drawn for them.

Multiple mountain caps were in my sight and the thought of scaling the highest peak came back to my mind. Dhimbam hills, infamously famous for being a hideout to Veerappan was the word as I looked back to my book. An innocent coincidence is always that makes a situation memorable, and so i scaled that moment into fragments before i stored it in my memory. Mr.Vijayakumar had implemented strong lessons of training to counter the notorious bandit in the forest by mastering the rule book of a forest. And his major idea was to cut down the huge team of 10-15 into 4-6 and further into 2 in a team at regular intervals. The kind of buddy pairing scenarios becoming famous in two-hero movie flicks.

It has been always fun to look at the girls sitting in the front row behind the driver's seat from the side mirror of the bus. But, this time little I had the interest to ogle as I am fasting as a Brahmachari to step the holy shrine of Sabarimala in the next month. I choose to look outside at the hush green every time as I wanted to visualize the encounter narrated in the pages. I had forgot to look down as I was lost in the beauty of those beautiful mounds of hills. Varied thoughts came into my mind. From the drawings of hills that most of us used to do as kids, surprised thoughts about how huge trees grow in a place where solid rocks are the surface and so. I was literally becoming a kid with excitement. I smiled, blushed and thanked for the nature of job I had.

As I read the passage which explained Mr.Senthamaraikannan being briefed about operation Cocoon added to the altitude we were climbing, my heart beat increased pace. For the first time in this three hours, I saw panic in the face of the driver. His legs moved swiftly thumping on the break as he made two dance moves swinging left and right. All I remember is holding the bar in front of me so that I would deliberately miss the chance to test if I have the abilities of Superman to fly against Gravity. Back into senses, I realized that the driver was negotiating a curve and all I could see is a bus right in front of the already cracked front mirror of the bus we were traveling.

I felt at least a few thousand feet above the sea level as I looked down through he window straight into the valley as the driver was busy negotiating the curve after escaping a crash that could have seriously impacted a headline news for the lack of barricades in the sides of a curve. 

The gushing stream glittered as the sun rays fell on it directly and the view was splendid. Something that blew me off the feet. My eyes stayed stuck into the valley following the traces of rocks stuffed up in the valley. For the next few kilometers, I did not bother to think about what happened to the STF's traveler that was sent to Salem workshop for an overhaul, nor about Mr.X who's name is still a mystery. As the book narrates it was MR.X name that shocked the officers more, than the fact that they were so close to the most wanted fugitive.


Mists are so beautiful when you can feel it. I could realize that I'd be reaching Kumily any time sooner and so I did not want to leave the episode of operation cocoon uncompleted for me to wait till evening to read. Confused between the seductive beauty of the nature and fascinating episodes of the encounter I could not exactly make out to which I should give more attention. As I had the blood boiling in the event of knowing that Mr.Vijayakumar and Mr.kannan are so close to disclosing the names of their target, to two more people who are involved in the operation, I chose to stick to the narration.

So was I shocked as Durai and Saravanan. While theirs was in realizing their importance in execution, mine was in knowing that, I have ignored to choose this route every year on our return trip from Sabarimala, though the plans were made just on falls assumptions that the roads would be dilapidated.

Kattapana junction as the name board read. The three hundred and eighty-third bullet pierced into the customized vehicle hitting Sethukuli Govindan 7 times and Veerappan twice alone. Devil's fortune did not smile wide at him for the first time in his life and so the demons had him already. Ak's were the demon in disguise. Yes, the end of Koose Muniswamy Veerappan was well described as the news was conveyed to then CM of Tamil Nadu, late Selvi Jayalalitha.

The next 30 minutes to Kumily was my time to rejoice and visualize all the incidents in the trip and in the book. Somewhere between the journey after being done with the book, I had lost myself into the beauty of the terrain and had thoughts of Anjali coming in. There were times I felt if she was there to hold my hands. If she was there to lean on my shoulders. Yes, 12.30 and I stepped down in Kumily as I read the sign board, Welcome to Tamil Nadu. A hundred meters away from the bus stand, while I was still in Kerala

Thanks for reading

A needle in the arse

As this Incident happens in Kerala, the characters and the geographical locations mentioned in this narration will be from the place itself.

Every day we live is a story. A few is worthy to be narrated while a few will be chosen to go with us to the grave. In most occasions, the chosen ones will be those that caused us embarrassment. What we do not realize is when these ones are narrated, they become an awareness that could influence or inspire at least one individual to handle themselves in such situation. If you wonder how?, just like one would be able to handle death if someone comes back from the grave to tell him the tale that death is no big deal.   

Likewise, this one day of Sudeep, which left him worried in the days that followed were the one chosen to be taken to the grave with him. This is one episode of his life that no one knew about. This is one episode that gave him a new life. 

Being a sales professional who frequently travels through the length and breadth of Kerala, meeting his distributors and retailers, it was just another official trip from Kannur to Calicut in the mid month of April 2015. These were the months after total ban on liquor was imposed. In a state which is infamously famous for the disciplined long ques in the beverage outlets and for the highest grossing sales during festive seasons, this law was a real blow. As a safe haven for the boozers around Calicut and Kannur district was Mahe. 

Mahe, a small town in Kerala geographically located between Calicut and Kannur has its mouth facing the Arabian Sea. The town formerly a part of french colony is one among the four districts under the Union Territory of Puduchery. 

Well, that says it all. Any union territory in India is famous among boozers for its own reasons. And at this time after the liquor ban Mahe witnessed some serious crowd pouring into the town which alerted the excise and the police department. Many people preferred Mahe as their haven, over the long ques in the government beverage outlets.

Every single vehicle were checked at the borders. When many officers closed their eyes for the liquor to travel in the decorated cars of the big wigs, a few honest officers did not spare even the Government transport buses.

After a tired long day in Kannur, Sudeep had to board the bus to Calicut on the same evening as he had his meeting scheduled with a new distributor on the next day morning. The bus journey time usually takes up to three hours on a busy day. Like any other day he preferred to travel by KSRTC while ignoring the option of train inspite of the fact that train journey took only one and an half hour.

Sudeep, boarded the bus around 6.00 pm from Kannur KSRTC bus stand. He was carrying  his back pack and a hand luggage bag along with him. The hand luggage bag being fully loaded with the dress and his product samples, he had to keep it in the rear of the bus to not cause discomfort to the other passengers.  Luckily, the bus was not crowded and he, to safeguard his luggage made himself comfortable in the last row of the bus occupying one among the three seats.

A bus ride in north Kerala or the Malabar is more adventurous than a roller coaster in a theme park. Almost every driver seem to look less responsible for the 51 passengers in the bus, but only they know that it is their confidence to swing and sway the twelve meter chassis that encourages them to plunge into the traffic and overtaking more insanely than a motor biker would do. Though this was seen as a result of over confidence and prejudice that they rule the road, most of the passengers were less concerned for they only wanted was to reach on time.

Thirty minutes since the two buses left Kannur bus stand, in the long que of vehicles stranded near the Dharmadam bridge had the bus in which Sudeep was travelling. He woke up from his nap to realize he would have to wait for another ten minutes, until one batch of vehicles from the opposite direction crosses the narrow bridge that could accommodate only one vehicle in width.

The very thought of crossing Mahe excited Sudeep always though he had no plans of getting down to risk his reputation over liquor by trying to smuggle it out of the district. The excise department welcomed every vehicles entering the border while even the bikers were thoroughly checked for the liquor bottle possession. They were doing it inspite of heavy rain. 

Three common sites in Mahe that interested or influenced Sudeep were the road in the coastline were one can see the rough waves brushing the tetra pod walls, the closely aligned liquor shops like branded clothing showrooms in other towns and the busy fueling stations. 

He was cautious about his bags, every time when people hopped in and out of the bus at their respective stops. The conductor who was sitting one seat in front of him already knew that it was his bag.    5-10 passengers boarded from both the doors and the last one closed the doors. The driver accelerated, as he heard the conductor ring two continuous bells. Every moment in a KSRTC journey was a memory for Sudeep and he was almost obsessed with traveling only in the Kerala govt transport buses.

Rains were unusual in the month of April, but as a relief to the heat was the heavy rains lashing along the way forcing the excise department and others to retreat from their search so as to avoid mishaps due to immediate braking reasoning to less visibility. Sudeep dozed of in his seat as the other two seats were still unoccupied. While in his left side was a man in his early thirties sitting with a smile on his face as he looked at the rains through the lifted window screen.

The guy who had boarded from Mahe had to get down in Vadakkara which was 14 kilometers away. Twenty minutes since the bus left Mahe bus stand, Sudeep woke up from his nap shocked at the scene of the stranger guy taking out things from his bag and searching something seriously. A scuffle was about to happen, but the conductor never bothered to interfere even after seeing what was happening .

Sudeep furiously questioned the guys action to which he replied, asking to prove if that is his bag and continued with the search. For a moment he remembered all the episodes from the first action combat games he had played to encounter the situation. It was the time he realized that we humans scream worse than a helpless dog when we actually don't know how to retaliate. If this kind of intense search were done at the airport counters, may be our government would be lucky with millions worth smuggled goods.
Being a guy with humanity Sudeep patiently asked what is it you are looking for.

The guy had no plans to answer him nor to be polite with him and so he replied rudely that it was none of his business. Sudeep was confused and annoyed at the situation were a stranger guy meddling with his bag shouting at him that it is none of his business. Finally, Sudeep loosed his cool and snatched back his bag and kept it aside him after the conductor refused to intervene.

The stranger guy shifted his seats near the conductor and engaged in a conversation that clearly annoyed the conductor. It was evident from the reactions of the conductor that this guy was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

As he got down in the Vadakara bus stand the conductor came to Sudeep to say that he was looking for any liquor bottle as he thought the bag to be of someone who boarded from Mahe. The drama was not yet over.

Second bell had the bus moving and that is when some pointed object flew towards Sudeep sitting at the edge of the three seater. Other passengers who noticed it informed him that it was the stranger guy and he threw some needle that was in his hand which looked like the needle of a syringe. Luckily the needle brushed the shirt of Sudeep and fell somewhere causing no harm to him. While one of the passengers who boarded from Vadakara in a conversation with the Conductor mentioned that the stranger guy who threw is a drug abuser and not to be bothered.

Not to be bothered??, Sudeep smirked recalling all his lessons about how a needle can be a reason for the transfer of STD. Being an over thinker is sometimes a pain in the ass and for him he was temporarily relieved as he did not come in physical contact with the needle. 

"West Hill" read the board as he leaned to the window to see where he have reached. He re positioned himself so as to get down as soon as he reached the bus stand, and that was when something pricked his arse. The alien object finally found, all navarasa appeared in the face of Sudeep though he convinced himself that it just pricked on his cloth and did not go into the skin. 

Sudeep lost all his excitement and got down from the bus with the needle in his hand. As he walked to the hotel that was at a walk by distance, he starred at the needle more than that he stared at the watch his girlfriend gifted him for valentines day. Someone who witnessed the episode would have definitely thought from his looks that the needle was more important to him than anything else in this world. A romantic extravaganza between him and the needle ended as he reached the hotel room.

Though not a Mahe liquor even any normal ones could do the drill and there in his room were his friends from Calicut ready with all needed for a booze party. He chose to not say about the episode that happened.

The next day resumed and the next few days followed. He did not bother to think about that until the incident struck at the left side of his medulla oblongata once again. He was constantly worried and overthinking since then that, he never discussed with his girlfriend either. On one such day when Sudeep had to take his girlfriend to the doctor, he was behaving strange when the doctor prescribed an injection. It was odd for the onlookers at the sight of a 26 year old guy being so much perplexed about the injection. But, like every lover boy even he felt relieved when his girl took time to calm him down though his new change in attitude made her concerned.

An unromantic lifestyle was so uncommon between them for that their romance was widely adored and talked during their college days. Sudeep refrained from making physical contacts with her and nothing hurts a girl more than ignorance. She decided to speak it out with him and that evening, with a cinematic punch, she yelled at him that she has chosen to live with him and while she smilingly quizzed if he had STD. 

Sudeep never knew that was an innocent question from her nor she knew that it was a disturbing question for Sudeep. The funny side never came into the picture instead he screamed yes at the top of his voice and asking her to leave. Somewere someone has said     "a women can make it or break it" and here she chose to stay with him and bring him out of the confusion when he finally explained the incident.

Time has boarded a bullet train and so it is never slow anymore. A week after he fainted in a restaurant after his blood pressure count went below normal, his concerns grew. It is six months since the incident happened and it already took five months for Sudeep to talk about it to someone while it took another one month for his girl to convince him to a Elisa test so as to sort out the confusion. 

Later she came to know that he waited for five months as the clinic assistant had informed that it would take at least four months for the virus to react in. She understood the pain and the mental battle he had to go through. They opted for DDRC as it was widely said that their results were accurate and could be trusted. 

Life is not just about trusts, it is also about the stereotypes and taboo in the society. Elisa not being an usual test Sudeep walked to the counter with his girl and in a low tone informed the receptionist about the test he wants to do. Fear of the society is sometimes worse than the fear of death and same was in this case. Like someone stares at the person buying a condom at a medical shop the words ELISA, HIV, STD garnered many eye balls rolling.

She held his hands firm, though the people were busy plotting stories behind his decision to test. What they did not know is even a recruiting process these days demands an ELISA test to be done. He secretly took pride about having such a protective girlfriend. Being a witty girl she hinted this is why i insist on using rubber followed by a wink. Oh well, she just handed over the bullets to her enemies to character assassinate her. But she did not seem bothered. 

His name was called and this time when the nurse confirmed with a loud voice to Sudeep that if it is Elisa he had mentioned, he did not seem to shy off, instead replied a firm, yes. Behind every man is definitely a women but only time coincides the relationship. 

Thanks to the improved technology, Sudeep felt relieved when he was informed that he do not have to come back to collect the results, instead they would be mailed to him. The wait was not long as she chose to stay with him that night. It was their first night together after almost 6 months and they skipped the night talking about things they left or forget to talk in that six months. 

10.00 am in his house looked like an exam cell in a school waiting for the board exam results to be announced. As the mail popped in his favorite Lumia, he opened immediately. She never seemed concerned but looked like she knows the result already. She actually had her heart beat aching up as he was reading the results. It was when she heard a sigh of relief followed by a scream of joy her pulse came back to normal. 

Sudeep went near her who was standing at the kitchen hugged her from behind and whispered in her ears saying thanks for being with him amidst all the trouble that he gave to her. It was a moment of realization, when his excitement was about a result, hers was only about getting him back as he used to be. With tears that had washed away her mascara she looked at him holding a smile in her face to say that she was thrown out of her house for choosing to stay with him in the previous night. Emotions unfolded but he stood firm with her and that was the day they started to live the life of their own. 

Adding to the complication, when the couples made a pair, winning their love. What they had to loose is their family and their love for them. For a couple who believed love for the family is equally important as the love for each other, they did not actually know if they should be happy about it or sad. 

Neither be the irresponsible stranger who did not mind to intrude nor be a Sudeep who wore the horses fly mask to see only the problem and not the people and solutions around it.

I blew this up from a comment that i made as an answer to a question in one of the social site by citing one of my friends personal experience, which makes the story true to an extent.

                                   Thank you all for reading
                                             **The End**

The rain and earth love story

One, Two, Three.... and a four

Drop by drop, he hit the floor

he shall slay me, he shall slay

i might not mind, if that is him

bring me tickles, bring it as a platter

make me laugh, make me moan

make me wet, make me drenched

let them smile, bring me more

love me more, make a downpour

i am yours, till you go

do not stop, until i squirt

do not stop, until i say

i might shiver, i might stumble

do not stop, until i flood

I feel numb, i feel great

where were you, all these days

don't stay long, don't stay

for they will suffer, if you stay

as you leave, i start to wait

now let them drink, and quench their thirst

 *a love story*

One day, on the road

One day on the road is one day well spent, I have always believed in this philosophy and have been fortunate to stick to it for a very long time now. You don't have to be a rider, a traveler, a enthusiast.When you are an observer, you realize that the life itself is a puzzle and you just have to walk your way out of it. 

Try not to ignore, neither you don't have to be responsible all the time. Observe everything, from the beaks of the little sparrow that sucks nectar from the flower in the dawn as the sunlight kisses the leaf, to the courage of the mother, breast feeding her kid amidst all the lascivious crowd staring at her breasts.

Try to understand the difference between necessity and luxury. Observe everything, from the gypsy's on the road side pulling over their tarpaulin over the crafts they made once it is dusk so as to spend time with their family, to the shops in the high riser shopping malls staying open until midnight craving for more business.

Try to be ethical and don't give in to comfort. Observe everything, from a young kid giving up his seat to the elderly in the transport vehicle or a elderly lady giving up their seat to the lady holding her kid close to her warmth, to the arrogant drunkard who shouts in the streets blaming his wife for all the discomfort he has.

Try to be a patriot and not communal. Observe everything, from the innocent school kids assembling at their school grounds to stand in attention for the next fifty two seconds with their head held high until they thump the ground as they salute to the national flag, to the secular party leader who screams on the microphone wearing the attire of the local majority community.

Try not to be ignorant, neither you have to act. Observe everything, from the commuter's peer at the proud transgender who resumes her work in the beauty saloon inspite of all odds, to the parent who convinces their kid to litter the chocolate wraps at the signals so as to keep their car clean and neat

Try to understand the music of life and not the noise. Observe everything, from the talented road side singer singing a lullaby as brilliant as a professional singer being ignored, to the pattern in the sound of the vehicles movement that repeats like a loop.

Try to be reasonable and not feudal. Observe everything, from the discussions in the corner tea shops about how a thousand yes can influence a lie to be true inspite of knowing that the accused is the innocent, to the discussions opposing any support to the uprising being termed as intolerance.

Try to feel the nature and not capture it. Observe everything, from the hushes of the bewildered cloud as the pressure builds up the breeze before the thunder storm, to the greens that shakes of the exhaust deposits to stand high like the trees of Aslan's Narnia.

Try to walk between the good and the bad. Observe everything, observe as the old Tamil saying goes
"Kannal parpathum, Kathal ketpathum poi, Theera visarippadhe mei" which translates into  "not that we see, not that we listen, Only a thorough inquiry will take you to the truth".

While all you can do is Try, What you cannot is Blame, When you have left out your part of Carbon Dioxide as you breathe.

Cross the stream, to live the dream

She said :
Roses are red
Sky is blue
I mind my business
why don't you?

To which i replied:
Into the darkness
As you go
The life will prove you
I should do!!!

She stumbled:
I was born alone and so were you
why do you bother, what i do
into the darkness, i choose to go
i know the way, as you do

he perplexed:
you know the way, as i do
but what will you do, as you go
i walked to you, to take you home
and you wish to go, rather let go

She bewildered:
i'm not sure, if i should go
but you should know, that my love was true
i stripped my ego, i stripped my clothes
it was for you, because i loved you

he quivered:
wake up from the dream, walk your soul
i always thought, you'll never leave
hold my hands, and cross the stream
As we go back, to live our dream



Inspired from a two liner text

Thank you Anaya

The plight of Kai

"A-bh-aya", The teacher pronounced stressing the syllable, as the 27 children in the classroom waited for the teacher to explain the meaning. Kai and Sarah, sitting in the second bench, pretended to look at the teacher as they sketched Poseidon on the last page of their notebook. As the teacher defined the word, that means "no fear", Kai wrote down in the page for Sarah to see, "that's you".

as this story happens somewhere in the state of  New Jersy, USA. Where a large number of Indian Diaspora lives. The story revolves around two close friends influenced by the Greek God's stories who embrace their childhood with super natural imaginations, unnatural to the other kids who were obsessed with the Super hero stories of Marvel and DC comics. Kai, a 12 year old, born to Indo-American parents was always fascinated by the Hollywood movies based on Greek God's. Sarah, a girl considered to be the boldest for her valor in raising questions sensible to the society at this young age of 12 was the soul friend of Kai since they met in the country park 5 years back.


It all happened on a summer evening, when Kai and Sarah along with others were busy doing community service in the retirement home as a part of their summer project. Another set of children had come for their service as well, and with them was a man in his late 30's who looked so excited with the kids. 30 minutes before they call it a day, and Kai had to switch team as a part of building new relationship leaving Sarah with a set of new people for the first time in the day.

Sarah looked quite happy, as she saw the man who in his mid 30's to be their team motivator and made faces to Kai so as to make him Jealous. He introduced himself as, Clarke with a magic trick that made the kids fascinated. Kai innocently kept looking at Sarah every time he heard laughter from her team, until they moved to the next block which had less number of inmates. 

They sounded the long whistle as they called it a day, all the kids ran to the assembly point with their motivator's. Sarah ran to Kai hugged him tight and left a sigh of relief. Clarke bid adieu to all the kids and all of them left to their own houses in their School bus. 

Petrified Sarah never let go the hand of Kai, for a real long time, and every time Kai took out his hands, Sarah held them closer. Poor Kai could not really understand what made her behave so strange. He kept asking her and as she decided to say. The stories that followed were so new for Kai and Sarah that, Sarah did not know what exactly happened with her and Kai did not understand why would a man in the age of their father do this to her. Only thing he understood was that the motivator had hurt her and he wanted to avenge for that. 

Yes, Clarke was a pedophile and that is what made him look excited around the Children.

The kids ran to their parents as soon as they reached their house. Kai and Sarah being next door neighbours, their parents felt concerned about the petrified looks in their faces. Kai took the responsibility of explaining what Sarah went through, while he behaved so matured, unusual for a 12 year old. All of them stood shell shocked listening to what Kai was explaining, they understood that Sarah has been molested.

While Kai's parents along with Sarah's father wanted to proceed with a complaint, Sarah's mother was worried about the plight that Sarah would have to go through, talking about the gruesome experience she would had to go through. All that Kai wanted was to avenge Clarke for hurting his soul friend.
A girl who was nicknamed  "Abhaya" was now afraid to come out of her room. Kai was the only person in the whole world who could comfort her.

Kai slept that night in the same bed with Sarah to keep her company. Sarah kept weeping as Kai dozed of, listening to their parents still confused about how to proceed with the situation. His eye movement were rapid as he looked restless in sleep. Sarah had slept by now and was tired that even a loud noise cannot wake her up. Kai could see someone walking beyond the clouds holding the hands of a girl.

An old man with a long white beard, who resembled Dumbledore from harry potter, walked more close to him as he had a girl holding his hands. Kai smiled as he realized that is Sarah with him. He felt the coldest breeze and the fragrance in the atmosphere as the old man hold his wrist.

"Zeus", Kai exclaimed as Sarah smiled at him. 

Kai must be small for this world, but his thoughts weren't

Poor little Kai asked Zeus to help him avenge Clarke for hurting Sarah. He walked Zeus to Clarke and dared him to pick a fight with Sarah again.

  "the kid had not considered Clarke more than a bully". 

Zeus blessed Kai with all his powers. As Clarke neared Sarah, Kai looked up at the skies. His eyes were red as Cyclopes, as he gathered all his might to bring down the most powerful lightning bolt to hit on Clarke. The Lighting bolt struck as Hades cracked open from the underworld to pull down Clarke.

Kai felt more powerful like never before that he rolled over from the bed, and hit his head on the floor so hard. Poor little Kai woke up to his senses. Nothing around him had changed, Sarah was sleeping still as he helplessly thought about how he conspired to bring justice for his friend. All he could do was to dream.

The day resumed and Sarah's mother convinced herself to fight for her daughter's justice. Kai felt relieved when he came to know that the bully would be held responsible and answerable. 

The Question that Sanchi asked

"5 pm" squealed the clock on a Friday evening. The sticky note on the fridge reminded Shyamal to rush to the gate as his wife had informed about the delay at work that day. It was his turn to receive their charming little girl Sanchi, who will be back from school. Being employed as a Management consultant in Singapore it was unusual for him to be free on a Friday evening. 

The school bus stopped at the bus stop which was one hundred meters away from her house. She jumped in excitement looking at her father standing at the gates instead of her mother who receives her at the drop point. Sanchi ran to her father with open arms, while he was kneeling to maintain her shoulder level. Shyamal grabbed her waist lifted and swirled in the air while she screamed with joy. The onlooker's smiled as the events unfolded but did not fail to notice his moves to fade off the embarrassment of not knowing the drop point of his own kid. Before they went inside, Shyamal hinted her with the plans for a night out and an ice cream from the Streets.  

Streets in the corner of the road were her favorite ice cream joint.
30 minutes passed 5 and there she was in the hall waiting for her dad. When Shyamal came out of the bedroom dressed in his usual white & blue combination, Sanchi stood there as pretty as a angel. With a grumpy face that reminded of his wife, Sanchi stood there with a poker face. Her hands were stiff when he tried to take her to the doors, he ignored the alarming reaction and walked to the door alone. Sanchi did not move a bit. Shyamal looked puzzled and asked her, "What?".

"In her words, as she squealed at periodic pauses like the time clock"

"I have a question, and I need an answer before I come out with you", she said. Shyamal had never felt so much pressure even when he was held responsible for terrible mistakes at work. Like the age-old saying in this new generation says "A management consultant knows it better about who and how to talk", he politely knelt down in front of her and leaned forward to know to understand her question. He never knew a 8 year old studying in a global school can have any kind of complicated questions that a management consultant cannot answer. She pulled out the textbooks from her bag and kept Atlas over top of it saying that her teacher taught her Atlas in the class today. 

It was a coincidence that her teacher taught her Atlas on the same day, when a group of boys, two grades senior to her mocked at her group of friends which included Americans, Asians and Europeans about how they look in spite of being an Asian themselves. With a firm look, Sanchi asked that curious question to her father, the question was supposedly not the hardest to answer, maybe it is the easiest question that Shyamal had ever answered. But for a person like Shyamal who thinks that the persons understanding is what education is all about he took time to think as the moment unraveled in his thought about the question.

 "My teacher taught me there are over 190 countries in this atlas, But when all animal species looks the same why can't humans also look the same. So that Nicole and his friends don't make fun about my friends".

Shyamal gave all kinds of expressions. He knew, his adamant daughter wont move a step unless she gets an answer. But, he felt it was important to give her a convincing reason so that she don't cultivate hate for other races. Shyamal knew that Sanchi had a strong interest towards stories involving God and God power's.

Shyamal hence decides to narrate the story short before it is late for them to leave and Sanchi agrees to it. Knowing that it would at least take a couple of hours to make her understand, Shyamal texted his wife to come home instead of going to the Streets directly from the office.

In his words

" In a time before dated history when there where no boundaries, no names for places. Women and men were living in the wild with all the other living beings in the habitat. The only thing that made them different from others were the ability to think and understand feelings and that was to protect their clan from foreign invasions. 

It was a time when every male and every female human looked the same as any animal male and animal female. Over a period of time they were blessed with an ability to talk and understand emotions which made them special from animals. A time when humans lived without greed and anger. Rather a time when greed and anger were not understood.

As time progressed, humans started to find tones and dialects to communicate. That made them picky about their partners unlike the animals. Feud sparked among them when they could not find their own partners as every one looked the same. People living in the present america and Africa were tall while those in Europe and Asia had tall and short people. Australia never existed then.

Tired about the quarrel, the clerics in different parts of the world prayed to the God to help them.
Destiny of the Human's where to tell the tales and carry forward the legacy, and God had decided to help them.

God came to the earth and looked puzzled about how Humans have changed the wild as a non-living place for other species and how selfish they have become. He looked more like a Sorcerer, with a mid-sized jar hanging in his waist belt, containing a jelly like potion that glows.

He wanted to start from the west where the sun sets so that, by the time when the sun rises in the east the next day, he can get to the east. He grew bigger in size, and as he opened the lid of the potion he looked concerned. The potion had spilled and he feared that would not be sufficient for the entire population.

He found all the people born in present day american continent to be naturally beautiful and thought to himself that he can use lesser potion just to give them different faces. As he emptied 1/4 portion of the bottle over the land, all the men and women went to sleep. The next day when they woke up all of them had different faces, but all of them were beautiful. Argentinians, Native Americans, Mexicans are the humans who needed only 1/4th of the potion.

God further traveled to the center of the land, and he saw a lot of people than what he saw in the west. He had saved a lot of potion and thought to himself that all the population lives in the center of the land while east and west are less crowded. God happily took out the potion and emptied more than 1/2th of the bottle leaving only a little. The potion worked, and the prettiest people on earth woke up the next day. The central part consists of the present day Iran, Egypt, Israel, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan, India.

Dawn was brisk, as the God walked to the East. He stood stumbled as he saw a lot many people living in the East than in the west. Left with less than 1/4th of the bottle, he wanted to be impartial about anything he did. The God grew more bigger and as he covered the entire east, he sprinkled all over. The Potion fell all over the place in portions and that is why Russians have a beautiful hair, while Italians/French have pretty nose and Germans have pretty long legs while Japanese/Chinese/Koreans have cute eyes.

God waited until the next day and as every one woke up to their new looks, God expected everyone to be happy. But, the quarrel got out of hands over other's being more beautiful. God, tried to explain them about the days they loved each other when all of them looked the same. No one seemed to understand or wanted to understand. God left the earth for the humans that day."

Sanchi ran to her father, kissed him on his cheeks and agreed to go with him. Her mother had already come home and she was in the door listening to Shyamal not wanting to disturb his narration. That was not the first question that she asked. She never stopped asking questions, and her parents where never tired of giving an answer to her fictional questions.

Children are supposed to ask questions. And when they ask, inspite of being busy if you find your time to answer their question, that is what makes you a parent.

Hallucinating Hampi- Traveler's thought

#1

 

I along with a few other friends were chilling our day out thinking about going on a trip to Hampi. Chippy and Sherin were the only ones among the group who had gone there earlier. As the conversation about the trip started, Chippy drew a map on the chit of paper as she hurriedly sat near me with excitement to describe the topography and geography of Hampi. Sherin, who was cleaning the vessels narrated her memories as well. Saju, the only other guy in the room other than me was making rounds around the corner of his house looking for the charger. He paused to look around in wonder when i exclaimed, "Man, i am going alone, and this is happening soon". The other three of them screamed in a chorus "we will go together". I let out a smile and simply nodded yes, but i had already zeroed on going alone.

April was the month and it was deadly hot this year. Thanks to the rising global warming that added another 2 degree Celsius to the atmospheric temperature. Ever since, I had started earning it was always at this time of the year, my travel hormones rake up. I travelled alone to Mumbai, the previous year, followed by a trek to Velliangiri Mountains in Coimbatore. 

Goa had been on my cards since I graduated engineering, It never took off after being let down by my group of friends, every time I came up with the plan. I finally decided to take a break from work and go on a solo travel. After learning about my unscheduled plan only Vikas dared to hop in, now it was me and him alone, but for him he wanted to go back after spending his time in Goa. He planned and booked his return tickets, while I had no idea about my schedule.

4 days in Goa and almost everything that I did had a first timer's excitement, for all the occurrence that happened from staying in a dorm with completely random backpackers, parasailing, drunk night outs, overnight party, everything about the trip was exciting as of then. Never late before we realized, that we have to check out the next day.

Sheela wasn't at the bar, but a guy was so busy keeping everyone around him happy, and as I walked to him, it was Rohit, the owner of the hostel that we were staying. I had already heard a lot about his nomadic life and so I looked up to his insight about staying in Hampi. He, being a guy with satire said

"brother it is simple, there is a Holy side and a Unholy side, choose to stay in the Unholy side and things will happen" but also warned me about the scorching heat, that might get me dehydrated and advised, or rather put me in confusion to choose wisely between Hampi and Kasol.

Last day at Goa began, by seeing off my travel partner and long  time friend who had booked his return tickets from Margo. I had no return tickets or any plans, but just thoughts. The Heat was really a matter of concern, as two more bags added to my luggage. My digestive acid functioned really well at the time and had already started eating up my fat, I could feel my intestine burning. My eye balls started rolling foods as I saw the name board of Kamath hotel on the other side of the road. My engine was back to normal and the turbine had already started supplying energy.

I walked down to Panaji bus stand, confused about making the decision after doing a research on bus schedules. Having no clue about what to do, I ringed up Midhun, my cousin aka Chiku. He enquired me about the further plans of the trip, to which I replied blank.

He being another solo traveller understood my confusion and said "When you had decided to go, Hampi has already decided to receive you, don't see the place but feel the place so that you won’t feel the heat".

A little motivation was the need of the hour and he had it. I went to the booking counter and booked my tickets, I choose to travel in Karnataka SRTC to Hampi from Panaji.

5.30 am on 3-05-2017. "Hampi - last stop, Hampi - last stop" the conductor shouted from the front cabin. As I got down from the bus, I visualized Chippy's hand drawn map and tried to match it with the description narrated by her, all the time I was looking for the river that I had heard a lot about, the river that divides the Holy and the Unholy side. A tea shop at the corner of the Hampi bazar and few auto drivers becoming tour guides explaining their packages, was the only thing that I saw. With no rooms booked and just 175 INR in my wallet, I went to the shop before I go desperately looking for a ATM. Tea shop conversations had always been an source of information from my previous experiences being a sales guy. Within no time, I befriended Subbiah, a Tamil resident settled in Hampi. He introduced me to Raghu Anna, who would later become the important part of my journey.

Raghu Anna, was kind enough to know about me, before he explained his guide package. I understood that we could either opt between an auto guide charged at five hundred rupees for four hours or a rented two-wheeler or bi-cycle charged somewhere between a hundred or two per day. I felt stranded, as the closest ATM is in Kamalapura which is five kilometres from Hampi. One hundred and fifty rupees was the deal to get me to Kamalapura and back.

I like to believe that the things that followed are nothing but an omen to understand the kindness and honesty of Hampi residents. I had already decided on extending my days of stay in Hampi.

All the ATM counters were closed, opened counters had no money as well, Raghu Anna confirmed with his friend in Kadirampura to find out if there are any ATM counters opened. We were unlucky. I started to feel concerned as I would be left with no money, after I pay for the trip.

Every person who I met there never failed to surprise me with their humility and attitude. Likewise, did Raghu Anna.

Looking at my plight, In his words, he said 

"You can pay me after withdrawing money from the ATM available in Hospet, I will be around near the auto stand, you can call me when you come back"

Hospet was twelve kilometres from Hampi. Completely blown away with the gesture I was subconsciously getting attached to the place and the people. When I came back from Hospet around 7 am, the dawn break smiled brightly on the scenic mountains of Hampi. Raghu Anna had gone home to refresh, before his starting his morning schedule. I handed over the money to Subbiah, before I started walking to the other side.

I had the best time of my life when I lived there. But, I feel it is not my life in Hampi that you should know, but the life of Sahasra. A young solo traveller who decides to go for a leisure drive to Hampi on a weekend during the time of dusshera and gets stuck up there for 13 days which became a career defining moment in her life. 

Hallucinating Hampi- Chapter 1

#2

28^th, September 2016. In the late hours, a black Honda City vroomed through the streets of Indira Nagar, Bangalore and plunged onto the Outer highway. On the seat, controlling the steering with a sheer look on face, was a bold and beautiful women in her late twenties who seemed so determined.

The Caricature of a dancer bowing an arrow painted fluorescent, on the driver side of the bonnet attracted attention in the traffic signals. She was on the Lepakshi route and that continued towards Anantapur. The streets where lit for Dusshera celebrations along the road sides. For once she had stopped the vehicle, and it was 4.30 am in the morning of 29^th, September. 27^th year of her life span started that day. A moment she took to look at the rear mirror, to adjust her hair that fell over her eye lids from her misplaced headband. She loosened up her stiff hands that were tired steering for a long time. Her face shined bright when she read Kamalapur on the sign boards leaving a dimple in her cheeks. She smiled so beautifully that even the sun could wait to rise until she stops smiling.

Sight of the herdsman steering his large herd of sheep on the middle of the road forced her to slow down. Neither she honked nor she raised her voice for the obstruction caused, but remained silent inside the car waiting for the herdsman to clear her the way. Only a moment paused before the sheep's were lined on the both sides of the road, as the herdsman requested her to accelerate, he who was busy controlling the herd asked her apology for the discomfort caused. The generous behaviour of a normal common man during the early dark hours in a stranded place moved her. For a moment she felt lucky, in a time where women are not safe even in the broad daylight, even in their own houses. Her thoughts weren't exaggerating but a matter of real concern.

Sahasra, stepped out of the black Honda city, stripped her headband, let her hair loose and embraced the morning breeze that touched her face. Her face was already glowing out of excitement and happiness. She removed the funky ring that she had received as a gift from Tania, A traveller she met during her previous trip to Kailash. She relaxed and stood there as she was already feeling dizzy and sleepy at the same time.

The Darkness Ceased to exist as the dawn break smiled so bright on the architectural monuments of Hampi most of which were carved out of Situ stone. Shadows of tall structures kissed the land as vendors kept moving in to the bazar to start their day.

Born into a North Malabar family Sahasra was a trained dancer and a natural talent in Bharatanatyam. Having performed in numerous youth festivals, her talent remained untapped because of the reservations her orthodox parents had, in letting her compete at every stage opportunity that came her way. Like every girl in their teenage, she was also ambitious and wanted to reach a better position with the sole motive of becoming independent.

She had nothing else to worry about, until she realized that, many of the people she sees does not exist in the real world. She was already in the 3rd year of Engineering by then when she started feeling insecure about the unusual company around her. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia in the late months of 2011 after she was found chatting with her imaginary friend in the middle of a stormy night.

She was responding well to the prolonged treatment, as her will power and ambition overpowered her hallucination.

                                          ***

At some point of her life, she had left behind her passion for Bharatanatyam. In the early months of 2013, she was inducted into one of the top IT companies in Bangalore. From then, her life started taking turns. She lived in a way she wanted to live. She learnt to drive, she travelled like she was born for it enjoying the nomadic life. Only the name was classical about her anymore, everything apart from that had changed, or she had forced herself to give in to the change.

Soon, she started finding a pattern in her travel and that was visiting the places from the books she have read, living with the characters in the stories that she had read. Destination of her first such trip was Mumbai, after reading the books about the dirty underworld by Hussain Zaidi, and the second was to Kailash after reading various articles on the subject. In a way she was giving back into the hallucinations, neither her nor her friends and relatives understood the change.

In other ways she was becoming a living example, for what turns out to be bad depends on how you choose to use it. None of her books influenced her trip to Hampi, It was a pure destiny call. All she wanted is a solo drive to a less crowded place on her birthday.

                                           ***

Madam, Guide? , the auto driver quizzed. She smiled at him and humbly asked him to help her find a place to stay. Thanks to the freaky jean shorts rolled up to her thighs and the blue denim jacket she was wearing, with one black thread tied on her right ankle, the guy took no time to suggest her a perfect place that he thought she would like to stay. She was excited to cross the river as well. She could see the Bazaar decorated with flowers, serial lights and the road-side vendors building temporary sheds. Looking at her bewildered looks, the auto driver interrupted her thoughts and said

"Madam, all these are for the Dusshera festival which starts from 3rd October".

She was surprised, to see a lot of dancers walking around in dance costumes at the early hours, even before the market woke up. The auto driver looked puzzled when she asked him “where are the dancers heading to?” because all he could see was a cow, grazing at the gates leading to Virupaksha temple and a few local residents. The tourist crowd were just a handful due to the lack of rainfall and raise in temperature from the past three years. Characters that never existed had already started to frame up in her mind.

The auto driver then introduced himself as Ramu Batti, took no time in explaining the guide package which will help her to see and know Hampi in one day. But, Ramu had failed to understand that Sahasra was not the one, among the usual traveller crowd who wanted to see places for the sake of it. Her type of travel were to live and love the place with the people of that locale. With one mid-sized travel bag on her shoulders she asked Ramu to walk her to the hotel. All her childhood fancies of broad necklace, cotton fabrics, Ear rings were taking toll in her mind while Ramu was explaining her about how she could reach the other side by driving forty kilometres. She was excited about crossing the river as that will add to the thrill.
The shortfall in monsoon showers have already left the river in a dried up state that, one can walk up to the other side. Ramu, explained in short about the Kingdom of Vijayanagara and Raja Krishnadevaraya during the walk and also guided her the direction to reach the hotel, located seven kilometres from Virupapur Gadde. Ramu, waved her a timely good bye until she comes back after visiting places on the other side of the river.

As Sahasra stepped into Tungabhadra river and shivers went through her spine. Being fascinated and attached to the stories narrated by Ramu and after witnessing the preparations for Dusshera in the river banks leading to Virupaksha temple, her freaky outfit had nothing to do with what she was tuning herself up to be.

Sahasra’s eye sight gave her own interpretation as she saw art in everything. Elephants being bathed were the royal elephants, meditating pilgrims were sanyasis, and anyone clad in white dhoti resembled a philosopher while men with dandi were soilders. Sahasra was becoming someone that she used to be but this time she unknowingly chose to embrace that instead of being unsecured about the feeling.

Hallucinating Hampi- Chapter 2

#3 

The thoughts and conflicts of Sahasra when she crosses the banks of Tungabadhra to Virupapur Gadde, from Vijayanagara to kishkindha and how Schizophrenia turns out to be a boon will be continued in the this chapter. Hold your breath till then...

Left, Right and Go, like a teenager she splashed the water until the water wetted the sadhu, meditating on the rocks clad in a dhoti over his waist, he looked furious with dreadlocks. From there, her thoughts began to conceive every one with its own interpretation, the characters in her hallucination had no resemblance to any normal people from the 21^st century.

Luckily, her attitude and habits remained to be the same. To an extent that helped the people to not get surprised by her strange reactions. Only time she got back to her senses were when she got distracted. She was going through a strange phenomenon which she had never gone through. Exactly, eight hundred and ninety steps she walked according to her fitness app before she saw the boats docked on the river bank as there was not enough water for the boats to sail.

Maybe, Ramu had felt something special about this 5'8 tall, thin and bold girl that would persist him to stand by the banks of Virupaksha until he made sure that Sahasra reached the other side safe. She had her rooms booked in a traveller’s hostel which was seven kilometres from Virupapur Gadde.

The affordable way to travel within the place was hiring a scooter. The modern girl from the 21st century did not yet realize that schizophrenia has taken over her, and so seeing people riding a bike in the costumes from history looked funny to her. She kept her thoughts to herself or believed it to be real. She hired the bike after surrendering her license copy and left the place to the hotel.

She was warned to be cautious about the petrol level for every seventy kilometres because of the fine-tuned mileage trick, two litre for every seventy kilometres was the count. By then her hallucinating thoughts where on and off and slowly she realized that the disorder is taking toll. This time, she choose not to give up and find a way out of it in her favour. 

She rode the hired scooter to Jungle tree, where her rooms were booked. On the way she, was already making friends with the people who were carrying heaps of hay for their cattle and the kids who were training themselves for the Dusshera performance. She vroomed in the places where she felt unsafe. Which, later she came to know that there is no such unsafe place in the whole of Hampi.

The sulking shrewd programmer was becoming more of a fun loving and motivational human in the due course of time. She checked in around 8.00 am in the morning. Not a clean place for the hygienic girl she used to be but she rather chose to accept it and made herself comfortable with the place. Being the only tourist in the hostel and being a girl was more of a concern for her.Biswas, a 21 year old guy who was in the reception escorted her to the room, eventually understood the nervousness in her face and assured her this place is safe for her to stay.

Breakfast was ready for her, and the hospitality by Biswas and his boys in the restaurant made her feel home. She opted to have Bread and Jam with a cup of black coffee sitting on the specially arranged beds unlike other restaurants. The restaurant hall was actually an open entrance to the hostel.

Unusual tracks appeared on her playlist as she was listening to music. With her eyes closed, she opted to listen to the Bharatanatyam padham. Memories of her winning laurels for her performance to the Tani avarthanam padham crossed her mind as she smiled.

Sahasra opened her eyes to see a pair of beautiful foot, highlighting on the fair skin tone was a richly decorated traditional design using mehandi and a thick ankle chain of gold in two layers which had little pendants and a green stone which looked like emerald, cut into a shape of triangle in the center of every pendant. She was not surprised and looked as if she has been anticipating her arrival.

Sahasra, offered her a place to sit and with the legs folded to the sides she found her place there. Clad in a green Mysore silk saree, costume of the lady reminded her costume that she chose to wear while performing Tani Avartanam. Though her lips movement were evident as she spoke to the lady, thanks to the headsets and the privacy. Biswas and his boys felt she was singing along with the song, while she had already started talking to a character who never existed.
                                         

                                               ***
In the fort complex of Raja Krishnadevaraya is a Mahanavami Dibba, a tall structure built exactly in front of the royal courtyard for the dancers to perform so that the king and his people can witness the performances. Every year at the time of Dusshera, dancers and performers from places in and around the Vijayanagara kingdom poured in to showcase their talent. 

                                               ***

It was 10.30 am and the lady had offered to stay with her throughout the trip. Promising Sahasra that she will answer all her questions and doubts, she wanted to be the guide, to which Sahasra readily accepted. In fact she was infatuated to the looks of the lady and didn't want her to leave.

                                                ***

Chinna Devi, considered to be one of the most amazing dancers of the time and the most beautiful lady who could attract any one to herself and her dance. Obviously, one of the  main reason for why she became the Queen of Raja Krishnadevaraya. Soon to be realized, it was not the stories of Raja narrated by Ramu Batti but the small portion of Rani Chinna Devi the long lost dancer that influenced her.

                                                ***

The imaginary character who would talk to her for the next few days was already set and it was time for the long lost dancer to find more similarities with Chinna Devi. Sahasra had to start her exploration but with priorities set. Three days from then was Dusshera and she did not want to miss any corner of the place to be unexplored.

Biswas was amused in the way he was being looked at by an educated, bold and beautiful girl. But, he did not realize that she was looking at him as Chinna Devi alone. That is when she asked him to explain about how to prioritize the schedule, she was particular in visiting all the places before the dancers start their nine days arpana for Dusshera starting from 3^rd October.

He gathered all his knowledge about the tourist interests and its details in and around the place, looking at this as a chance to impress her he described in his words…

“Madam, Hampi alone is not the tourist place, both the sides of Tungabhadra are of same historical importance. While one is from the 15th century the other is from pre-historic period. The side which you came from was the capital city of Vijayanagara Empire and it flourished during the Krishnadevaraya period and the decline happened soon after internal tensions and communal clashes started, out of misunderstanding. The moment you crossed the river you are in the place called Virupapur gadde, which was the Vanara Kingdom called Kishkindha considered to be the birth place of Lord Hanuman and the resting place of Bali brother of Sugreeva and in here you have places like Chinthamani, Bali Guha, Rakshasha Guha, Durga Temple and the Hanuman temple which also has one of the best sunset views.”

Biswas was surprised when he found her staring at his fingers and smiling at him in a strange way which he is not used to be treated. Sahasra never wanted Chinna Devi to stop briefing and she was so much fascinated by the jewels and looks of her. Things were already becoming awkward, neither Biswas understood that Sahasra was looking at him as Chinna Devi  or Sahasra understood that it was Biswas who is explaining and not ChinnaDevi