LOVE ALL - Episode 10

LOVE ALL​

A Serial By Varalotti Rengasamy​

Episode 10​

Yamini had finished reading KG’s story on Ramanujar and Lakshmi a few minutes back. She was sitting before her laptop doing nothing, continuously shedding tears.

There was something in KG’s writings that went directly to the heart and gently massaged it making it softer and surprisingly stronger at the same time.

In a way KG was even better than Arvind. Arvind talked only about the love between human beings, especially two young, beautiful things in the prime of their youth with their hormones working overtime.

No doubt it was out of the world and extraordinary; but Arvind could go only up to a level.

KG soared much higher and did it with grace and élan. Arvind was spinning his own yarn, whereas KG was restating well-known stories.

But the words he used and the way he expressed what was there in the minds of the characters, well, they provided the readers an authentic spiritual experience, which Arvind could never hope to provide with his romantic yarn.

KG’s religious writings were also in a way focused on human love; but there was something more in it than what met the eye.

You always tend to read KG’s writings again and again. And every time you read you find out something new about your own self.

She had heard of alchemy – the magic of converting a base metal into gold. KG’s writings went one step further.

It created love where it was not there earlier. And where love pre-existed KG’s writings almost ‘alchemized’ it, gave more intensity to it and lifted it to dizzy heights.

It was the highest in the order of miracles performed by saints.

Of course Yamini still could not forget Arvind. Still he would torment her by visiting her in her dreams. But KG’s words were a great counter-influence.

For the first time Yamini felt confident that she could ultimately get over her irrational feelings for Arvind, though she feared that they might leave some numb pain in her heart and a bitter after-taste in her mouth.

She went to Gmail. She had labelled all mails from KG. She dug out the mails labeled as “KG –Counsel” and started reading what KG had told her about her feelings for Arvind.

She let out a long sigh and shut down the system. Then she remembered something and called Kripa.

 

Part 2!​

“Did I wake you up, Kripa?”

“Not at all. I am still in the site working on some IP address bans.”

“Oh that reminds me. Can you just tell me how the IP address ban works? I want to refresh my knowledge.”

“Quite simple yar. IP address is short form for Internet Protocol Address. Every computer connected to the Net should have a unique IP address.

“It is a number consisting of four parts, each starting from 0 to 256. Roughly we have something like 4.3 billion addresses. And you have static and dynamic..”

“Krips, cut out the technical stuff and tell me what it means to us. To our site.”

“Well, let’s say some user like LoverBoy does something naughty and we ban him from the site.

"He will immediately register himself as LoverBoy2 or LoverGirl to do the same thing. Then I find out what is his IP address and ban any user coming from that address.”

“Is it fool-proof?”

“Not at all. He can switch the ISP that is the Internet Service Provider. He can have an additional connection from Airtel while his original connection is from BSNL. Or use a Reliance data card.

"Instead of logging in from home he can use his office computer or better still go to a browsing centre. But if he does the naughty things again and again, I will be banning all his IP addresses.

"Soon he will be completely cut out from the site. But why are you asking all these things now?”

“Prathi logged in as Repentant and nobody found out.”

“Janaki could not have found out. Because only you, Prathi and I can see the IP addresses.

"Secondly, I can’t be checking all the IP addresses as a matter of routine. It is not possible for anybody to continuously verify the IP addresses of some 50,000 members every day.

"Only when the person creates trouble I bother to check her IP.”

“Thanks for filling some gaps in my education, Krips.”

“Anytime, dear.”

 

Part 3!​

Saturday morning. Yamini opened her Gmail and was surprised to see a mail from Dr.Gayathri which had the words “Want A Big Favour From You” in the subject line.

‘Whatever it is consider it done, Aunty’ – Yamini mumbled as she clicked open the long mail.

‘Dear Yamini,

It was only last night that I read KG’s story in the Religion Forum for the first time. I have always considered Religion as nothing but a lot of hot air and hypocrisy.

Yesterday as I was browsing the site I came across this Religious forum. Every thread had hundreds of replies and thousands of views.

I was curious to know what made so many hypocrites gather at one place.

I read the latest story first. My God! Yamini, it was a unique experience in itself. I did not do anything after that. I was continuously crying.

So much so that Ravi was really concerned and kept on asking, ‘Ma are you all right?’ How could I tell him that for the first time in my life I really felt all right?

I got up at 3 AM today and started reading every word, every comma and full stop which KG has written for us.

I finished reading them all by ten in the morning and since then I have a feeling that I have gone very light and am actually floating in the air.

What a man, Yamini! I am really proud to belong to a site like this. I consider it as God’s blessing that you chose to visit our office to discuss the website.

Now I want a big favour from you, Yamini. Ravi is not a good boy.

For a mother to talk like that about her only son… well my prayer to God is that no mother in the world, even if she is my worst enemy, should have the misfortune of saying these words.

I should have hurt somebody really bad in my past lives. Otherwise I would not have had somebody like Ravi as my son.

But God has been exceedingly kind to me in one aspect. He gave me a heart made of doubly reinforced steel so that I can bear all these things silently crying within.

I am not Kripa, Yamini. I am his mother. A wife can divorce her husband. But how can a mother divorce her son?

I may appear very bold and outspoken on the outside. But inside, I am just a plain, broken-hearted, disillusioned, sad mother.

Kripa’s goodness did have an effect on him. But that is too small to risk another relationship. At the same time I don’t want him to miss the golden gate opening before him, his last chance to quit evil altogether.

I have an idea, Yamini. If the hands that wrote those wonderful words – I mean KG’s - could only touch Ravi’s head and bless him, if KG could pass over a millionth of love in his heart to Ravi…. I am sure Ravi will become a good man.

I want KG to take Ravi under his tutelage and counsel him. Can you please arrange for a meeting with him? I will also go with him.

In the village where I come from they have a custom. If a family is passing through difficult times, they make the lady of the family take alms from everyone in the village as a sort of expiation for her past sins.

It will be a pathetic sight. The lady would spread one end of the saree worn by her as if it were a begging bowl and accept the food grains offered by the villagers.

I am even prepared to beg like that to see my only son on the right path.

Love,
Gayathri

 

Part 4!​

Yamini was moved to tears. She really felt sad for Dr.Gayathri. There was something basically wrong with the world.

Why should good people like Dr.Gayathri suffer so much in life? She should raise that question to KG sometime.

Then only it hit her that she herself had not seen KG so far. Why don’t I use this as an excuse to meet him?

She was sure that all the Mods would simply jump at the opportunity of seeing KG in flesh and blood. She would chat with him first on Gmail and then propose a face to face meeting later.

She forwarded Dr.Gayathri’s mail to KG.

She asked him politely whether she can chat with him for a few minutes and would 9 PM that night be convenient for him.

She immediately got a reply.

‘Will be on Gmail at 9 PM. Ping me when you are in. KG’

 

Part 5!

​

When Yamini logged into Gmail at five to nine KG was there. There was a red button by the side of his name ‘K.Gopalan’ showing that he was busy.

Yamini moved her mouse there to read his status message. He had chosen Gibran’s cryptic words, ‘Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.’ as his status message.

Yamini did not want to ping him when he had set his status as busy. She would wait till 9 10 pm and then send a mail to him reminding him of the chatting appointment.

Exactly at 9 PM the status light turned green. Yamini immediately pinged him.

Yamini : Hello uncle! Thanks for your time!

KG: Hello! No sweat Yamini!

Yamini : Your story on Ramanuja’s disciple.. it was amazing uncle. I should have read it a dozen times. I even took a print out and gave it to my father to read. He was also in tears.

KG : Thanks, Yamini. Your words do mean a lot to me.

Yamini : Uncle, we all want to meet you. We want to get your blessings. You name the time and place, Uncle. All of us will be there.

KG : Thanks for the love showered on a lonely old man. But.. Yamini.. there’s a small problem.

Yamini : Are you all right, Uncle? Your BP is all right now?

KG : Thanks for the concern, Yamini. I am in fighting fitness. You know, I am writing a book on religion. Whatever I have written in the site is going to made part of the book. With great difficulty I have convinced a publisher that it would be a viable project.

Yamini : Congratulations in advance, Uncle. Most of our members would buy that book. I will specially showcase it for you in our site.

KG : Thanks a lot, dear. In fact I almost begged for a chance to write in the site only to test how my writings on religion will be received.

Yamini : We are all crazy about it, Uncle.

KG : Unlike other books in the market my book will contain only the stories and just a few lines of message added in the end.

Yamini : A great idea, Uncle. It’s going to be a hit. But what has it got to do with our meeting, Uncle?

KG : I am a very sentimental person, Yamini. Call it a lonely old man’s neurosis. But it is there and I can’t help it.

I want to meet all of you for the first time on the occasion of the book release.

I am planning to organise a large function. I am going to invite all our members.

And you, Yamini, will be the Chief Guest who will release the book. A VVIP, probably a mutt head, a religious leader or a leading actor or a literary figure, will receive the first copy from you.

Yamini : That’s a great honour, Uncle. But who am I?

I suggest that you fix another VVIP for releasing the book as well. That would get you a good mileage, Uncle.

KG : For me you are the greatest VVIP. Propelled by sheer love you have gathered more than 50000 women under one virtual roof.

And you are making a difference in their lives. I could not think of anyone doing a greater service to the society.

Yamini : Thanks, Uncle. But our members would be disappointed that they could not meet you now.

KG : Just a matter of a few months, Yamini. I am planning to have the function in May.

Yamini : That’s okay, Uncle. I respect your sentiments.

 

Part 6!​

Yamini: Uncle, did you see Dr.Gayathri’s mail I forwarded to you?

KG : I did.

Yamini : Can you just meet her and her son, Uncle? May be if you could talk with him, counsel him.. .. … That would be a great help to that noble lady.

Yamini then told about Dr.Gayathri. How she directed her to Kripa to rescue her from depression and how she provided financial help to Kripa through the site. Yamini knew she was breaking a vow of secrecy.

But then she told herself that to talk about a hidden good deed to a good man could not be a breach of promise. Of course she told KG that the salary matter was known only to a few people and KG should not tell anybody.

For a long time KG did not speak. Then he started to type, really fast.

KG : First I am not for any direct, face to face counseling. It has not worked for me. May be it’s because if people see what I look like they may not listen to what I say.

But on the Net I am nothing but my words. What I am and what I write are the same on the Net.

So if Dr.Gayathri’s son seeks my counsel on the Net, I would be only too happy to oblige.

But I am afraid he has not yet felt the need. Any words of advice will fall only on deaf ears. So let’s defer this Counselling project for a while.

I see some kind of divinity in Dr.Gayathri. Her love for Kripa, her selflessness, her courage, her moral strength in bearing her sorrow… I have no words for them, Yamini.

You remember Angel? She is doing some kind of penance and prayer as a nun in a Convent. Dr.Gayathri’s life in itself is one long prayer.

What she is doing is much holier than the gory penance performed by Rishis in the ancient days.

With this kind of love in her she can’t be in this state for long. Ravi is going to be a good man soon.

One practical solution that comes to my mind is to make Dr.Gayathri a Counsellor here.

If she pours out her love in helping people with problems, in making people see things as they are, then her mind would relax and the change she is looking for will happen much earlier.

Let her help others heal their wounds. Her wounds would heal on their own.

This law is as fundamental as the law of gravitation.

As to Ravi, enough if Dr.Gayathri somehow makes him read all the queries she handles.

Yamini : Thanks a lot, Uncle. Eagerly looking forward to meet you.

KG: You are welcome, girl. I too can’t wait to see a bevy of beauties, all ladies filled with love. Convey my regards to your father. Bye.

Yamini : Bye

 

Part 7!​

Yamini promptly relayed KG’s counsel to Dr.Gayathri. She was ecstatic.

“I think KG’s some modern day saint. Whatever he says appeals to me instantly. Something tells me that this is going to work.

“I will be only too happy to join you as a Counsellor though I have not handled a similar brief earlier. May God and KG show me the way. Thanks a ton, Yamini.

 

Part 8!

​

Sunday afternoon. Dr.Gayathri was in her study. She had just finished reading KG’s stories one more time. Her eyes were closed and her mind was reliving those great stories.

She felt that she was a small side character in those stories watching the miracles happen before her very eyes.

She was one of Shankara’s disciples sitting in the last row seeing Anandagiri running towards the Master and getting transformed into Thodakacharya.

She was one of the residents of Thiruvisainallur seeing Sridhara Aiyawal’s tear drop metamorphosising into Holy Ganges.

She was present with Pundarika when he was busy draining the sea.

Tears rolled down from her eyes.

Ravi had just finished his lunch.

As he was going to his room in the first floor he saw his mother sitting alone in her study with her eyes closed.

He was really concerned.

 

Part 9!​

Ever since Gayathri knew that his son was hurting Kripa, she stopped eating with him. She had limited her conversation to what was absolutely necessary between two people living under the same roof.

At first it did not affect Ravi much. But gradually it dawned on him that his own mother was shunning him for his bad behaviour. When Kripa’s lawyer called, his mind was hatching some diabolic plans to make Kripa lose her divorce case.

But when his evil mind came face to face with Kripa’s benevolence it was shattered. Whatever radar his evil mind has been using so far was destroyed by Kripa’s goodness.

He was now lost in the sea of life and the only beacon light for him was his mother.

But his mother still maintained a distance from him. She treated him more like her business associate than like a son.

He tried flirting with a few girls in the IT industry.

But Kripa’s act of forgiveness and his mother’s face were always present in his mind and he could not go deep into any relationship. He was feeling lost and restless.

He wanted first to win his mother back. He lavished money on the advertisement campaign for the site promoted by Kripa and her friend. Well, that did not exactly please his mother.

Gayathri insisted that Ravi should let Kripa win her divorce case. Ravi complied. He withdrew the case.

The court had passed the decree now. Ravi and Kripa were officially divorced. Kripa was free to marry again.

Even after all these his mother was not her usual self.

 

Part 10!​

Ravi went in to the study. He was shocked to see his mother crying. Poor fellow! He did not know about KG’s stories and the impact they had on his mother.

He thought that she was crying for him. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder. Gayathri woke up with a start.

“What do you want now?”

Gayathri’s voice was unusually stern. Ravi was hurt.

“Why are you like this Amma?”

“I have been like this all my life.”

“No, Amma. You don’t talk to me. You don’t eat with me. You have let me down, Ma.”

“That was because you let me down. You made a good girl suffer. I tell you Ravi. You will never find a girl like Kripa.

"Even when her survival was threatened, even when her freedom was at stake, she did not want to hurt you. And you hurt her as if that was your only hobby.”

Ravi broke down and started to cry. He sat down on the floor holding his mother’s legs.

“I don’t have anybody in life except you, Amma. Even in the office nobody talks to me more than what is absolutely necessary. I don’t say I am a good man. But please Ma, give me a break.

“I advertised for her site at my own cost. I let her win the case. Tell me what I should do. You want me to go to Kripa, fall at her feet and beg her pardon? I will do that, Amma. But please, please, accept me as your son. Talk to me like a mother, not like a colleague.”

Ravi was sobbing. Dr.Gayathri was moved. But she did not show. She remembered KG’s advice. This is the right time to talk to him.

“Ravi, when alcoholics are sober they promise to quit drinking, they promise to take care of their family, they promise the whole world.

"But when evening comes they grab a glass of whiskey and all their promises go to winds. Your promises are no different.”

“Amma, won’t you believe me?”

“I believed you and you betrayed me.”

“How do I prove to you that I am not the old Ravi?”

“What’s the point in proving that to me?”

“Because I want you back. As my mother. As my only relative in the whole planet.”

Gayathri turned the other side to hide her tears. She took some time to muffle her sobs. Finally she cleared her throat and spoke in a bland, matter of fact voice.

“I am disgusted, Ravi. You have let me down very badly. I don’t buy your ******** of goodness. But still I want to give you one last chance.”

“Whatever it is, consider it done, Amma.”

“You have to be a Counsellor in a website and answer queries from members.”

Ravi laughed out aloud.

“Me? A Counsellor? Are you kidding? I have not even lived my life well. How can I counsel others?”

Ravi was incredulous. At the same time he was very happy at the kind of confidence his mother had in him even after what he had done.

Gayathri was silent.

“I am not saying I won’t do that, Amma. But I am worried whether I can do that.”

“Make an attempt.”

“If you say so, I certainly will, Amma. But what’s the name of the site?”
“You know it already. WomenWorldwide.com.”

“But how can I.. go there… you see Kripa.. is there..”

“I’ll tell you what you should do. You will be on training for a period of three months. I am going to act as a Counsellor there. I will get all the queries through their Private Messaging System.

“You have to sort the queries and give it to me. I will dictate the answers which you will have to take down, transcribe it and send it to me. I will post them there in the site.

"As a part of training you should also read the answers given by the other Counsellor in the site.

“His name is KG, a retired Income Tax Commissioner. You should also read whatever he writes in the Religion forum and give a summary of that to me.”

“Done, Ma.’

“After three months if I am satisfied with what you do I will let you handle the queries yourself.”

“Thanks, Ma.”

“Remember you should never enter the site as a Member. I will give my password to you. And you should enter only on my behalf. If you try to do anything funny, if you try to hurt any of the ladies there… well, you can never see me again.

"You know I have a Green Card. I will go to the US and settle there never to see you again in my life.”

Ravi was hurt. All along he was sitting by her feet. He tightened his grip over her legs.

“Please don’t talk like that, Amma. Trust me, Amma. I won’t let you down. Again.”

Ravi stood up, ready to leave.

“Please close the door when you go.”

Dr.Gayathri waited for the door to be closed. She then broke down into violent sobs.

She had never cried like that in her life. She was now sure that KG’s influence had started working wonders in her life.