Does BJP Ill Treat Tamilisai Soundararajan Through Racial Discrimination?

Throw a stone into the water and it creates ripples. Throw a casteist comment and it creates politics. At a time when caste politics and politics out of caste is used as a tact to trigger sentiments of the common man for votes, even the slightest of things magnify out of proportion when misinterpreted. Add to it, the trendy netizens of today – meme creators, take the volition of driving citizens astray.

That is what conspired when a photo of BJP State President Tamilisai Soundararajan was shared on social media. Seen with the defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman and a few other caders, Tamilisai was framed in a photo, eating in a steel plate while the others from a banana leaf.

A party that is easily blamed for casteist intentions, the picture drew censure and agony from those who buttered out racial discrimination in BJP from an otherwise cordial event. The gentle waft of wind gained momentum and drew more ire as netizens chose to quickly believe the interpretation presented and shared it on various pages.

However, a quick call to the politician revealed the real picture. Breaking into laughter over the interpretation, Tamilisai outright denied of any such discrimination within the party. “The photo was taken during a visit to a house in Virudhunagar. The hosts were only informed about the minister’s arrival and did not expect many people. As it was a small place, they had not prepared for other guests and were short of banana leaves. I picked up a plate and helped myself as a friendly gesture,” she said striking out further confusion.

As elections are around the corner, even a spark escalates into forest fire. Can we use more sense into creating harmony and fight for the right causes than arousing suspicion and hatred? Caste or no caste, lets keep elections out of it and think rationally to cast votes than yielding to caste votes.

Rainy Night

It's a cold Wednesday night. I had made it half way past en route home from office. Just as I stepped out of the metro train station, I heard the rains cheering merrily in their pitter patter. Rejected by an auto who demanded high rates, I lazily took a stroll and spotted the usually enticing sweet stall. Just to take aegis it won't harm to enter, I told myself.

And inside, awaited food porn. Several sweets of unknown varieties and lip-smacking savouries. ‘A light bite wouldn't add up to more calories,’ I consoled and cajoled myself to ask for a snack that didn't have any ingredients that would do my body bad. “Which of these are free from green chilli?” I naively asked trusting the shopkeeper.

Drawing his fingers over an array, he pointed at onion kachori. “Yumm, kachori and yumm onion, give me one right away,” I ordered. Swallowing one bite, I realized that the cunning guy had pointed at it coz it had ground chillies that were not conspicuous. Looking out, I realised that the rain had not ceased. 

Again, I ordered a new sweet. Finishing it off, I saw that the rain was relentless and stubborn. Thus I ordered another savoury. But this time, I made up my mind not to trust the deceptive weather. I walked out munching and crunching up to the bus stop. Like the hug of a mother on a weary day, the fragrance of a wild Jasmine tree embraced me, nourishing my soul. “Aww, I love you too,” I expressed my big bear hug in my mind.

Reaching the bus stand, I witnessed the auto men encashing the situation on a heavy demand for rides and helpless passengers. “This is a blessing in disguise. I want to face the music,” I resolved. For ages I had been eyeing the branded garments store opposite the stop. After a second thought, I ventured inside. Man, what class! The attire were ethnic and yet trendy. “I will shop here at least once in my lifetime!” I promised. 

Taking a last look, I peeped into jewellery section. A blue stone festooned by a leather string read, ‘Rs.3999 only’ “Holy moly! This is theft,” I gasped. My longing to buy the classy suits now changed into content as my contempt increased about the exorbitant prices. “Maybe life has much valuable things to do worth my money,” relief washed over me as I realised that after all class came with an unreasonable price.

“You were born for better things. Your wardrobe is already overflowing. Although some clothes have turned old, you still have way too many to wear and way too many things for a worthy spending. Thank you God for making me, me,” I thought, smiling to myself.

Sitting outside the store, I sat to type my blessing for the day as I watched the rain pouring in steady pace without a truce. Maybe this too is a blessing in disguise to take my me time! *Winks*

Vote

#V

In India, we don't practice anything unless we are threatened to be punished. Like the famous line goes, here you can piss in public but cannot kiss in public. That's how we try to project our culture. While an Indian who goes to a foreign nation with stringent laws is all praise for the country’s discipline, the same guy doesn't follow the rules in his own country. So what's the big deal about following rules?

Your character is well defined more by your choices than your abilities. To be a good citizen takes minimum effort and by doing it, you only better your own life. The Election Commission in Tamilnadu has spent over 7 crore rupees for voters awareness campaigns. Are citizens not really aware or act like sleeping?

We have been acting like sleeping already in the issue of global warming. If we don't choose our leaders right, it plainly means we are digging our own grave. Even if it is Nota(An option to vote for none) that is the only thing that you feel like opting, get out of your couch and vote. Freedom without responsibility is like a child without oversight. As we enjoy a democracy, we are entitled to exercise our duty too. May 16 is the D-day. Are you ready to vote?

Ubiquitous

#U

The word ubiquitous means present everywhere. Often times one would have heard religious priests preaching that God is ubiquitous. But the same people do idol worship and emphasize on the fact that the idol is God and rituals to it go straight to heaven. On special occasions or festivals countless number of devotees throng temples to compete against others to prove their devotion and some merely come to get the most effective blessing as given on a D-day.

Although to an extent I agree the fact that the chanting and prayers of many people gathered at a time can have a calming effect, I feel that I am far more closer to God than what the physical distance speaks. To me, goodness is God and he rewards those who are good. Donating food for the hungry is equivalent to getting flowers for God. In fact, the concept of buying flowers itself is to help the poor people generate some income by selling flowers.

God is ubiquitous and he rewards us for our karma or deeds. If you are bad, he teaches a good lesson. If you are good, he gives back to you manifold. He lives in our deeds and stays in good hearts. Although visits to temple might strengthen one’s faith and give the satisfaction of having seen his form, like Swami Vivekananda rightly put, Devotion and salvation is meaningless without service to humanity. God can see you when you wrong-do. He is ubiquitous. God can also reward for your right actions. So embrace humanity and be the beneficiary of God’s ubiquity.

Take

#T

This is a deep line from the movie Kung Fu Panda that I digested drinking in the beauty of its meaning. It says, ‘The more you take, the less you have.’ Not many have realised the depth of what it means. Most of us want more and are never satisfied in life. We seek more riches, more space, more luxury but at the end of it, we have only less. The typical example for this is the scorching heat that Tamilnadu, India faces during this peak summer. 

Every year, the intensity of this heat increases at an alarming rate. And the cause for this? We wanted more space, farmlands were converted into real estate. We took away more trees. We bought more vehicles so that we could travel luxuriously. The core interest of everything was to have a comfortable life. Conversely, we are suffering from the consequence of having taken more and having less of what we actually need. 

This applies to every single thing in life. When you take something, you stand at the weak receiving end. But when you give something, you stand at the strong circumstance of being the beneficiary of it in some way or the other. You don't need to be a millionaire to give. It just takes a good heart to keep a bowl of water for thirsty birds in summer. Even if you contribute Rs 1 for a noble cause, you become a rich person than many others.

Take less, give more and you will naturally receive more!

Sleepy head

#S

The emotion currently associated with me with S as the starting letter is sleep. I am sleepy. I am struggling with this disorder for a long time now. Sleep merely indicates boredom or the lack of excitement in life. Of late my husband and I are suffering from this problem in the morning. We wake up with a grumpiness, reluctant to get out of bed. I, in particular ruin my morning by waking late and a feeling of gloom envelopes with a boring start.

The same happens every time I feel bored and each time I

fall asleep. How can we eradicate boredom and thus avoid sleepiness?

The first aid to sleep is sprinkling water on the eyes and taking a walk down the corridor. Next, you need to replace sleep with excitement. What are the methods to trigger excitement? Here are 10 ways.

1. When at home, jump and dance in the morning. May be tap to the numbers of your favourite songs, it does a world of good.

2.Smile wide and break into laughter.

3. Skim through the newspaper. It not only makes you knowledgeable but also gives you a distraction from your empiness.

4.Plan your agenda for the day. This helps in filling the possible empty spaces where you might fall bored (asleep) and make you think and do what excites you.

5.Some ideas for exciting gap fillers:
 *Draw with an image in mind. Take along colours and color it too.
 *Get out of the couch and travel more. If your job involves sitting in one place for long hours, take a stroll around once in a while and take time to feel nature and things around you.
*Listen to songs and memorise the lyrics.
*Attempt a different way to your usual work. For instance if you've been using MS Excel for calculations, try to search for a new software or any other way to do your work more efficiently. Keep bringing innovation in your job every day.

6. Go home, relax and do your favourite exercise.

7.Repeat step 5 or create a new hobby like learning something new.

8. Write down the negativities of the day and make ways to eliminate it the next day.

9. Put all your worries aside and breathe deep. Smile, and say to yourself that tomorrow is going to be wonderful and you will be instrumental in making it happen.

10. Have a good night's sleep

Personality

Some tips for a good personality

*Connect the expression of your eyes with your smile. Your eyes should smile when the lips does. It expresses confidence.

*Listen and observe before your open up. When in a new place and you are dying to make friends, do the formal greetings but wait before you take up responsibilities or express your opinion. Observe what each person expresses, even the unsaid words.

*Make your handshake firm, it matters what your bodily contact expresses.

*When you speak, keep your voice audible and yet not to loud or low so that you come across as elegant and courteous.

* Read the newspaper and learn new words everyday. It not only makes you knowledgeable but gives you fodder for conversation.

Observation

#O

What do you find when you look beside? The perspective to the answer to this, depends on the person's observation capacity. The concept of looking into the nuances, is what Sherlock Holmes first taught me. But I was way to young or rather unrefined to practise it in life. Helen Keller taught me that blindness can make one realise the beauty of every single thing that you see and that I had to register in my mind almost anything that I saw. But it all went into one ear and came out through the other and I didnt feel for long, the necessity to observe

Ten years ago, I did not even remember the route to and fro home and school. Everyday my father used to take me in his two-wheeler but I was so ignorant that I didn't care to notice much. Only when I had to be on my own, I took the bus and learnt the names of few places. Necessity is the mother of innovation. The same necessity taught me how to observe and made me a wise person.

It was when I took journalism as my career that I learnt how to look beyond a normal eye. I had to come up with story ideas everyday that anything and everything could be made into a story, if only I had eyes for news. I learnt to observe. Observation made me clever and stronger. I could feel how I transformed, at once I started observing. I felt more intelligent and the satisfaction of writing it into a meaningful news was overwhelming. Today, observation has become my duty but its more than just that, it has made a difference to my personality too.

Can you say how many switches are there in your switch board or how many stairs are there in your house or even the number of bangles that the women in your family wear? Start observing today, and you will be amazed by the kind of positive difference it makes to you.

Luck

#L

Luck is like lift, hard work is like stairs. Lift might fail but steps will definitely get you to where you are going.

How lucky are you?
It depends on how much you have received without giving anything at all. However, it is short lived. The following are likely to occur on its own accord:

What is it called when your crush has a crush on you?
 Imagination!

What is it when a PR likes you?
Opportunist

What is it called when your boss likes you?
More work on the way

What is it called when you buy friendhship?
Ephemeral bliss

How hard working are you?
It depends on how much you can endure to attain something and the benefits are long lived. The following are likely to occur when you earn it:

What is it called when someone you love, loves you back?
Affection

What is it called when you become friends with someone you didnt attempt to become friends with?
A lasting relationship

What is it called when you score 100% in exam?
Focus

However, the combination of luck and hard work can give you the perfect results. One is incomplete without another. Are you lucky enough to work hard? Or do you work hard to get lucky? 

Kill

#K

 

If you don't want to have cob webs, kill the spider.

Most of the time, when a problem occurs, we try to directly jump at it without killing the source it originates from. For example, fever is the outcome of some other problem in the body and it can be anything from cold to viral infection. Paracetamol only controls the temperature whereas antibiotic kills the bacteria.

Similarly, whenever we are faced with challenges in life, it is important to kill the cause of it. A friend of mine had a love failure. The guy had insulted her and another girl who was interested in the guy had bitched about my friend. The guy had regularly sought money from my friend, cashed in her innocence and later alleged her of trying to buy his love with money. 

The problem here is the girl’s failure in attaining him but the source of it was her trust. Only if she killed that trust, could she understand his real character and logically solve the issue. Killing of trust most of the times comes with the penalty of pain but however unroots the problem and heals you faster. 

Kill and let live. 

 

Interest

#I

 Interest is a key factor in driving you to do anything in life. But when something is not interesting, how can one react to it? I used to hate studying all through my life ever since school. I learnt 101 ways how not to do it and here I present some methods to make studying interesting.

*Keep a pouch full of colorful pens. Write and see what you have learnt. The attractive colors will woo you to write more and hence keep you engrossed.

*If you are a team worker, do group study. Even better, restrict your group to just you and one or two more friends who are focussed. Take one part of the syllabus each, learn it and teach each other. Listening to something helps you grasp it easier than reading.

* Relate the concepts to real life situations. Ex; Newton's law - Every action has equal and opposite reaction can be connected with something funny like a person who slaps gets slapped back immediately.

*Reward yourself duly after completing each portion. For instance, if you set your goal to one chapter in an hour, prize yourself with an ice cream when you achieve it. The ice cream will be a motivation for you to do it. In case you dont complete on time, never mind, give some grace time and try to finish it within that. If that too fails, go to the next chapter and keep this for the last. This way, you will keep moving unstoppable.

*Use a short chair that helps you rest your legs perfectly on the floor and keeps your back erect. The sitting posture is more important while studying because it determines how soon you get tired.

*Don't forget to revise at the end of your session. Just attach keywords to all the points and test your memory.

 *Have a good night's sleep of minimum 6 hours. 

*No matter how much you have prepared, stay confident of finishing your lessons and giving your best for the examination. Confidence levels work wonders than you think. Keep your head cool and perform.

Fear

#F

 

Fear is that feeling when I cling on so tight to my husband's shoulder

while he speeds past traffic during peak office hours in the damaged
Chennai roads. I pray to god to be merciful and spare our lives for
one more day. 'God, forgive him for his gutsy drive. Forgive him if
he's taken the wrong turn or decision in driving. Just save us today!'
I murmur.

By the time my feeble voice travels upwards heaven and the answer
transmits back, my husband halts the bike in front of my multistorey
office. 'Good job man! We are alive!' I say letting out a sigh of
relief. I then queue my second prayer wishing Sundar reaches his
office safely too. Off ignites his engine and he zooms out of sight in
a giffy.

Rushing to the biometrics to record my attendance, I hurry as I am
already half an hour late. Situated on the 6th floor is my department.
I usually prefer the stairs to the lift because most of the days I am
fitness conscious. The rest of the days when I choose the lift, the
carrier decides to go conky and gets me locked inside for frightful
period of time.

Fear is getting stuck in the lift and trembling that it should not be
the end of your life. When in a crowd it is suffocating to stay inside
for long hours and if Im alone, alas, there is nobody for company to
act in a tough situation. Once, I tried to pacify myself and reached
for the alarm button when the lift stopped mid way. To my misfortune,
I had pressed the lights button instead and it was put out. In another
instance, we were a group of six and the current had gone. We were
reaching out by banging the door and trying hard to breathe.

Moments later, the security guard aided to our calling and we came out
alive from a testing incident. Phew! I perspire mostly out of fear
than the sultry weather and take the stairs without looking back at
the lift.

Fear is getting a memo from your boss for being late and scurrying
within your bounds for reasons to give him for the default. I try to
act confident and nod my head for his advice to inform him in prior in
case of late arrival and throw myself on the rotating chair and put on
the switch of my computer.

Fear is having an unreliable computer that is often menacing and
threatens to shut down when you have a list of work to do for the day.
I juggle in between the available systems and haste with the day's
work.

Fear is dozing off in the middle of work after having a tiring
morning. I take a stroll round the corridor and return to cope up with
the rest of the day.

The real fear however is running away from the tasks and not facing
it. After wading through a series of incidents at day, I get ready for
the next challenge with the same fear but each day, a little lesser as

I learn how to handle my fears.

What is your biggest fear and are you ready to face it? 

Earn

#E

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of earn is actor Rajinikanth's punch dialogue that goes like this. 'Anything that you acquire without much effort will not last and something that you work hard for and get will never leave you.' Between the rhyme and time of this line is embedded a deep meaning.

How many times have you dreamed about something and desperate to get it? But how many times have you put in your 100% to get that you wanted? I have. There is a thin line of difference between desperately trying for something and doing something the right way. While in the former, you may fail, in the latter you 'earn' your reward.

In my post graduation there was a tussle between me and a classmate which blew up to the entire class turning against me. I was desperate to making friends. I tried all means. I helped some people, I tried giving them money, gifts, working for them, but nothing worked. At one point I even tried to woo a girl to become friends by hitting on a deal. I showed her my personal diary that I had been maintaining for more than a decade now. She read it, used my gifts even if unwillingly(although she didn't ask for them) and then, she would do it all secretly without my social inclusion with her. I was not in her clique. That hit me under my belt. I learnt that friendship cannot be bought but earned.

In life, we desire for many things but we either take the wrong approach or wish for the wrong people/things. The truth is simple. If something is not natural, do not try to artificially acquire it. Wait for the right time or person and don't be disappointed with the current state.  Desperation only leads to dismay while dedication makes you prepared and earn your success. The best example for desperation is beggars while for dedication is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. From a sweeper, he did his education in political science, prepared himself for the position and earned his power.

Have you earned anything so dedicated?

Dare

#D

The future belongs to those who dare to dream. But what does it take to dare do something? Sheer courage. Most of the times, our fears are greater than the real problems itself. When I was a kid, I was lonely and did not have many friends. But when I wanted to make friends, I was scared. I was scared if my classmates would accept me or even include me in their circle. I was afraid of big groups because I assumed successful kids were those who studied well. Little did I know that just daring to dream would get me connected with everyone even if I faked the relationship.

I devised a method. I skipped my classmates and made friends with my seniors. This, gave me a sense of social acceptance. Subsequently, my classmates learnt that I have already been acknowledged as a successful kid in popularity circle and accepted me heartily.

But until then I was on the apprehension confinement and dared not take the first step towards climbing my success ladder. I had low self esteem because I imagined that only studiousness was the way to making friends. But I detested studying already and thought I was incapable of anything, destined to be a loser. This is a small example to what daring can help you do.

There is nothing in life that cannot be acquired when you dare to do whatever it takes. Many at times hurdles come in the form of family, friends and financial crunch. But there is more than one way to a skin cat. Find an alternative to the means that you take to get what you want. The key to this is staying positive and never giving up on yourself. If you want to handle something in a particular way, envisage the reactions to your action. Plan how you can do it better. This way, daring will never sound as terrorised as the word is meant to sound.

When you dare to do the right things that you want in simple things, you will eventually learn to dare to do bigger things in life. Are you daring?

Beautiful Day

That feeling I get when I enter Valluvar Kottam High Road is something special. The smell of earth, that serenity even amidst a bustling road, green trees, shady roads and a nostalgic conscientiousness radiating like a magnetic field from my school in the next street take me back to old days when I used to wait at the Valluvar Kottam bus stop in my higher secondary. In fact I was introduced to Valluvar Kottam even before my schooling. My dad used to bring me here to feed me. Despite my attachment with my mother and detachment with father like most kids do, whenever I see the place, it makes me feel proud about he having been the primary parent in my childhood as per the consensus in our family.

As I entered the Kottam to report for an exhibition, I saw a number of handicrafts and jewelery stalls lined up ostensibly. While I gently lifted an unique ear ring, I came to know the expensive price. When the inborn quality of women is to shop, the second is to bargain. Chennai has been my home since birth but somewhere life here is based on a bargain. I followed the general ritual of bargainers by pretending to leave when the shopkeeper refused to budge with the desired rate and it worked just the traditional way. He accepted to sell his jewel for the price I asked. One such shopkeeper, when relenting, passed an innuendo on my face. He called me a miser. Ouch, that hurt! I hastily checked back my wallet and reassured that I had to save enough money for the travelling way back home and tried answering that remark with my South Indian Hindi.

                                    
Instead of defending, he tried to flatter me by helping me choose the best among those unique ear rings. I was confused if he found my Hindi cute or suddenly found me beautiful. Whatever might have been the case with him, I indignantly snapped the pair and hurriedly paid the cash I quoted. Without looking back, I hated for my second encounter with the unfair world of bargaining. I wanted to take an auto for a minimum distance! When it comes to plying by meter, auto men show high on reluctance meter. As usual I brought in my woman trait and convinced the third auto to accept cash for the minimum distance as stipulated by the rules. (Even that meant five rupees extra to the fixed minimum meter rate).

On my way to the railway station I carried my wet tissue everywhere searching for a dustbin, trying to be that good citizen who keeps her city clean. Accidentally, I mistook a green cupboard for a dustbin and was imminent to throw the waste there. Disappointed at the realization, I carried it back until I got down at my station and decided to add it to one of the junk pile lying on the roads. My scout for the next auto began but this time, I did not bother to bargain because the auto stand has fixed rate on their own terms and bargaining would only mean I need to walk all the way home without getting an auto to ride.

Tired over the evening’s encounter, I threw myself on the chair and sat glued to it until my alarm kept reminding me to water the plants. Filling up my hunger first, I quenched their thirst and hit the done button on my mobile alarm. As I unzipped my handbag, my heart leaped excitedly to look at the gorgeous jewels I had bought. It seemed like my days exhaustion had after all turned out rewarding and come to an abrupt halt. I put on that exquisite ear ring and flashed before the mirror. My unfair world suddenly evaporated into merriness and spawn an expectation to look forward to the day when I would be dazzling in those jewels. It made up my spirit and my day ended so beautiful.

                                      

Fire of Truth

She sat in the Starbucks cafe, sipping her coffee and staring out of the window. The blood stained knife lay next to her handbag, covered with her blue silk scarf. The weather outside too was dismal. The dark clouds seemed to conspire the region as Erica's mind was filled with anguish and guilt.

Erica felt the queen in Starbucks logo smile at her insidiously. Was this all happening inside her head or was it a direful day that she was undergoing, she wondered. Her legs were quivering and her hands longed to rest but she dissembled calm and paid the counter.

Anjan would be waiting for Erica at the marriage hall as her bridegroom and their family were anticipating her any moment now. Even the police men might get a week off but not Erica, who was an ardent journalist. She was more committed to work than Anjan and today she was faced with a question of whom she wanted to marry, Anjan or her job.

Dressed in silk dhoti chanting prayers in front of sacred fire, Anjan's heart thumped faster. He did not know where Erica was. He had assured his parents about her punctuality for the marriage and they were forced to trust him. Their relationship had not been a bed of roses. After five long years Anjan had convinced his parents to get married with the love of his life, a Christian girl. Rosy aunty had succumbed to her daughter's wish after her wild behaviour when she was refused marriage with Anjan, a brahmin boy. If things went awry today, they would forever lose their parents' trust.

'Would I alternatively get married with a random girl from the marriage hall if Erica doesnt arrive like in most movies how the bride gets married to a random guy if the groom fails to marry for some reason?' pondered Anjan. His mind paced rapidly and went into a blur just as the smoke from the fire blurred his vision. Tears were flowing from his eyes, he did not know if it was due to fear or physical irritation that it was all happening.

Erica knew what integrity was but her blood stained scarf narrated a different story and she was mired in a moral crisis between her profession and marriage. Her long eyelashes hid the pain her pupil said, if only anyone strained enough to look deep into her eyes. Anjan would read it if at all there was time, enough time for them to unite before they tied the knot.

Erica was a crime reporter but now, she might have been mistaken for a criminal by the police. They would have framed her as the accussed as the news would have already been making its rounds.

Several lights flashed as Mastaan Kasab lay on the floor in blood shed with his curly unkempt hair appearing like bees swarming his face and  blood splattered neck. The press photographers were already there and the reporters would not miss out a feather from the place. But did they know what had happened? Erica's mobile was switched off and she could neither reach out for help nor be communicated for clarification. She had not informed anybody about her sting operation. Would Anjan rescue her like the filmy heroes? She yearned to be in his arms but there was no time for pampering and she had to act, real quick!

'Come on Erica, pick my call, we are losing our game with the world that said we cant get married,' said Anjan to himself as the computerised voice informed him that Erica's phone was switched off and that she could not be reached. 'One last attempt and if it fails, I would face the music,' thought Anjan as he desperately dialled Erica for the nth time.

His heart leapt as there was a ring! The cell phone line connected and he was shouting like crazy in the middle of the loud wedding drums that were percussioned as a part of a marriage with no bride. He was literally facing the music and could not hear anything from his end. He didnt know if she picked the call to reassure her presence or let him down. He perspired even more as he imagined the large garland on him like a snake strangling him to death. He didnt know if he was anxious or embarrassed to face the situation but he had to go by the flow.

'Anjan was not just another man. He was a fighter, he would not let his girl go in deep waters,' prayed Erica. Going back to the marriage might get her arrested if she showed up. As Erica walked on the pavement in front of the cafe, the wind carassed her wavy hair and tried to teach her some tranquility even under the dark clouds of Chennai.

Caffeine had already given her some energy to revive the tediousness of the morning and awakened the nervous system of her brain. Kasab and she were not enemies in personal life. He worked as a shopkeeper in a meat stall at Kodambakkam. Inside his shop were meat of many kinds that people have never known he had. They were human meat.He was a child trafficker who used young girls for flesh trade and later killed them for pleasure.

Working for Freedom Today, the most popular neighbourhood newspaper, she had a nose for news especially in her area and she sniffed filth inside Kasab's stall. Posing to be a pimp, she visited his stall as his customer a couple of times and pretended to be interested in pedophile activities. Kasab promised her five teenage girls for a day for a sum of fifty thousand rupees at 8 am on Friday.

At first, Erica wanted to procrastinate the plan because it was her wedding day. But on a second thought, she felt that she could not risk the lives of innocent children for her wedding plans and she agreed to it. She had not taken the assistance of police because she knew that there were police officials too involved in this trade. She had to provide a trenchant evidence catching Kasab red handed and bust him with an exclusive child racketing story.

On Friday,it was a humid morning with the sun's fiery emitting early. Dressed in sexy blue shorts that revealed her finely chiselled thighs and frilly white sleevless shirt, well tucked in and extra tightened with a brown leather belt, she set out confidently with her stockings on. She had the cash ready. She had saved it for the past one month, foregoing a costly reception saree. She had everything that she needed in her handbag. In case, she was caught by any officials, she had her press card for identity.She stuffed the cash well inside the bag and put her pen, notepad and id card hurriedly into it as she left for the shop.

She didnt want to give out Kasab to anyone until she got to know all the people who were behind this plot.She checked the watch when she reached. It was 7.55 am and Kasab was eagerly awaiting Erica. In her usual pretentious husky voice for him, she enquired him about the girls. He seemed more than pleased to usher her inside a room. As Erica moved in to receive the girls, she was faced with a locked door. For a moment, she thought that something went wrong. She looked back at Kasab to learn that he demanded the cash first before she could see the children.

'Ah Kasu, dont you trust me?' she sweetly asked but Kasab did not budge. Tensed inside, Erica had to conceal it on her face. She swiftly opened the bag and swayed her hands into it in search of the cash. Hastily, she pulled out a stash and showed him for assurance. She did not realise the things that fell out of her bag during the act as she was keen about the cash. Her ID card slipped out and fell on Kasab's toe. Before Erica could notice it, it was too late and Kasab was already alarmed.

He slapped her arm and ran for his knife. Erica had no place to exit. She was trapped. In the wink of her eye, she was at knife point, imminent to get killed.She struggled to keep him from stabbing. Suddenly she remembered the nail cutter knife in her pocket and tried to reach it with one hand still fighting to keep away Kasab's knife. Writhing out of control she fell on the ground as she managed to pull out the nail cutter.

As Kasab aimed for her neck in more fury, she dug a scar into his bare foot expecting him to fall down. Contrarily, he stood firm but his aim slipped into a mark in Erica's hand and the knife fell accidentally. Picking upon the chance, Erica caught it before him and threatened to slash him with it. As an experienced butcher, Kasab could see from her face that she had no idea as how to even poke someone with a knife. He gutsily proceeded forward to grab it. Pchak! A streak of blood splashed on Erica's face as she slit Kasab's neck. Panick stricken, she was transfixed for a moment. Her senses reminded her that she was now a murderer and she had to escape. Hurriedly wiping her face with her scarf she wrapped the knife into it and got out.

The road was busy and an auto man was fishing for people to take a ride. She blankly got inside it and was shivering in fear. 'Where should we go ma'am?' asked the auto man. The immediate place Erica could think of was Nungambakkam. 'Starbucks, Nungambakkam,' she said with no idea what she was doing.

It was 11.45 am and Erica was lost in her thoughts, still standing on the pavement. She felt the police handcuffing her from the back, she let out a shrill but it was a woman in rags who looked like a beggar. Absent mindedly, she reached for her bag but the woman stopped her. She could see the police car rushing inside and froze. She was now cornered and had the only option to surrender. Erica gave up all hopes and stood still as the inspector got out of the car and approached her. 'I know.. But this is all.. all.. a misunderstood folly. I.. I..,' she gasped for words trying to explain in vain. 'Shall we go to our in law's house?' the inspector demanded. Erica could understand the metaphor for jail and broke down.

She was taken into the car to the nearest place. She bowed down in guilt and didnt want to face the police station. To her shock, her parents were standing! She almost fainted. When she opened her eyes, she was lying on the bed room, clad in a saree with jewels. 'Call out the bride,' ordered an elderly voice and Erica was ushered inside a hall packed with her relatives. Anjan was sitting in the middle looking tired before fire. But a strange kind of happiness was dancing in his eyes.Erica was ushered beside him and he lifted up the nuptial rope and gently tied it around her neck. 'This is definitely a dream and I have to know whats happening,' said Erica to herself but people would not let her go and she had to stay put until other rituals went on. After hours of chanting and other formalities, Erica and Anjan were finally declared married and let go inside a decorated room for their first night.

Erica could not contain herself. Her head was paining troublesomely and she threw herself on the bed looking confused at Anjan.

'When you tried calling me, I sent my brother-in-law Arun athimber to Kodambakkam, where you usually get stories from. Athimber called back to say that there was a murder and called for his friend George, the city commissioner. George rushed to the spot and investigated the people. There were cries from the meat shop and the police found children inside. They gave the details of their parents and informed that they heard voices from their room about a lady fighting with Kasab,' offered Anjan.

Before Erica could open her mouth to shoot her endless questions, Anjan interrupted again. 'Arun athimber is a secret CID agent. His office is also at Kodambakkam and he used to nudge me about your weird dressing and visiting of meat shop for the past few days. He had followed you till yesterday and I insisted him to stay with me today. But once I sent him for you, he cracked the case with his credentials and safely brought you back for marriage.The lady that the inspector brought along was the mother of a rescued child and she wanted to see her saviour right away. We might need to visit the station for their investigation and give out a testimony.'

Everything was in place now and Erica did not know how long she slept before she awoke for the sensational story she wrote for Freedom Today from the first person point of view. It was her biggest break and her colleagues were in awe about her guts.'How did you have the courage to do such a thing all alone?' her Editor asked. 'When you do a good thing for a benefit greater than for yourself, success is assured,' she replied as her face glowed confidently in the fire of truth.