From Russia, With Love

Ramya was the daughter of Satish, the teacher of a government school. Though Satish was a teacher in a remote village, he educated their children well. Mahesh was a leading doctor in States, and Suresh leading software, with a lot of hopes and belief he educated both his sons, beyond his capability.

Both Mahesh and Suresh married the girl of their choice who was Americans, and Satish sir who follows culture and traditions got angry on them. He sent separated his sons from the family from all means. Mahesh and Suresh as left their home, they tried to help Satish, by other means but he rejected their help.

Satish: I am alive, not dead, I know how to do, my daughter’s marriage.

Ramya a talented girl from her childhood, she has seen movies where heroes defeat villains saving the heroin and dreamt of princes like the other girls of her age. Satish hasn’t imparted equal education to Ramya, but Ramya was a curious girl. She spends a lot of her time, in the library, unlike a techno zombie. When she got into the age of getting married, she got a lot of marriage proposal.

Many proposals came some didn’t send a response. Some demanded dowries. Some blamed the horoscope. Some said the boy didn’t like her and when people desired her, her father refused.

Days passed, she got aged many of her friends got married and was carrying kids. With time her relatives started gossiping about her, on her horoscope and created a story out of air. The rumors spread across the village and whoever comes heard it and left without seeing her. She realized that the princess comes in fantasy; in reality, it is better to be the princess of her own. She lost interest in groom seeing, wearing heavy jewelry and being a model for a public view for no cause.

Ramya: Appa, I’ll be with you, I don’t, want to get married. Let me look after you.

Satish: Ramya, I am also getting old. I can’t leave you alone, in this world. I should have treated you equally as your brother. Poor Teacher, I couldn’t earn more.

Ramya: you, raised me well, I was interested in Tamil B.A literature, and did the same.

Next day, their school authorities got the message that a new collector has taken charge. For some reason, she wanted to visit the school. The collector visited the school, and she saw, Satish sir. She took blessings by touching his feet.

Shakunthala: Sir Do you recognize me, I am Shakunthala 1974 batch from the same school.

It’s not an official visit I wanted to pay a visit to my school. I am happy to get the posting here.

Satish: Oh, the Chutti girl Shakunthalla, I knew your capability.

Shakuntala: your blessings sir, I became a collector, with your words of encouragement, and free tuitions which you gave me sir. I’ll take a leave, sir, will come to your home in the evening.

Back in the evening:

Shakuntala comes to meet Sathish, with her son. They chat was about school days, the fun, the lessons, scoldings. At that time, Ramya enters the house.

Shakuntala: Sir, she is that baby girl, right, She grew, so fast.

Satish: Yes, She is Ramya, not a baby anymore. I hope to complete her marriage in time, before, I leave this world.

Ramya: Please mam take coffee, and she touches her feet for blessing.

Shakuntala: No Ramya! I am not too old, hold respect in heart, you need not show.

Satish: Signs her to go in and Ramya goes inside.

Shakuthalla: nice to meet you, sir, wanted to ask, one thing if you don’t mind.

Satish: ya, Shakuntala.

Shakuntala: Sir, I have a brother, you know him well. I am searching for a bride for him.

He accepted, for getting married after discussions. He is earning well he grew living alone as he works abroad. He got clean habits moreover I raised him. You know, we lost, our parents at an early age, and I struggled to make an identity. I never got married, for afraid of losing him, and I adopted a soul to keep me going, and now he is imitating the same, for me. I wanted a girl who could understand him. He is determined from outward, merely a child inside.

Satish: Shakunthall, but you know about the caste and culture we follow right.

Shakuntala: Sir you have taught about Bharathi, Chev Guera, Gandhi, Bose, and Periyar so are they just for marks? Caste, religions don’t come with us till the end, but the character does. In the short span of life, why should we fight? Ram or Rahim or Anthony all convey the same.

Satish: Let me think about it, Shakuntala.

Shakuntala: Ya, sure sir.give importance to children sir, the religion, caste doesn’t make us unique.

I’ll leave for the day.

Over the night, Satish thought over it and realized that he is hurting his daughter’s future, with needless belief. He left all his anger and spoke to his son and accepted Shakunthalla’s proposal.

Unlike the usual site seeing, it was a casual visit from Jagan along with Shakuntala.

Jagan had a chit chat with others. Then Ramya came in her usual dress.

Jagan: I wanted to speak, to Ramya, in private.

Shakuntala: Ramya, feels shy let me be, here.

Jagan: I am a doctor, in Russia, I post ponded my marriage, for several reasons.

Shakuntala: Jagan!

Jagan: let me complete.

I loved a girl in Russia, a few years back, she was a genuine person. We loved, to the core of our heart. She believed in Indian cultures, and she accepted me. A week before our marriage, she met with an accident, and she died. I decided to be a bachelor Shakunthala, asked me to come down, to India. I don’t want to hide anything; I have presented my life as crystal clear. You can accept or reject me.

For some reason Ramya, liked his boldness including his baldness probably he shared the qualities of her father, though he was not a prince charming. She agreed to the marriage, within a few weeks after marriage Ramya went to Russia.

Initially, they were North and South poles. Jagan was an Athesist, and a firm believer in leaders like Vivekananda, Subash Chandra Bose, Chev Guerra, and Periyar. Ramya a devotee of Lord Krishna and she buys in Ramayana and other Hindu epics.

Nothing in common between them, apart from cooking. Both of them cooked well, Ramya got used to the climate, she learned the language, She started learning to drive.

They enjoyed, each others company, though their belief system was contrasting. Together they composed a beautiful black and white composition called life with minimal colors.

From his words, she learned that a character that impresses us extends our personality. At times knowingly or unknowingly, we tend to imitate a person, whom we love deeply, the same applies, to the biographies and epics. We tend to follow their characters.

It was around a year, Ramya got conceived. Now Ramya was no more a village girl. She lost the fear, of facing the world, it was time for her to travel, back to India for delivery.

There was an unseen bond between Ramya and Jagan. Jagan got to the terminal, but he didn’t seem well. With heavy heart, both departed. Ramya left the place half-heartedly.

Jagan came back to the hospital after completing his duty he went home. He thought of calling Ramya, and then realized she wouldn’t have reached. Accidentally he switched on the television while having the dinner. There was bulletin news, on the disappeared Plane, and it was the same aircraft, in which Ramya left. There was no terrorist attack.

There was no birds attack or wreckage. There was no sign of radio signals, all of a sudden

The flight got missed.

Jagan panicked, on the very moment, Shakunthalla called him. Shakuntala came to Russia, to look after him. She tried to pacify him. It's, almost a month, but they couldn’t find the wreckages still the search was proceeding.

Jagan was dealing with depression, and he left for the hospital after a month. As he was driving, he suddenly entered a new world. It was a new world, his thoughts about Ramya, was still there and he happened to see her.

People roamed in this world freely, all were pregnant, but they wandered without a soul, like sleepwalking. The men’s were also there at a separate place, guarded by men with horns lead by women in a pink dress with a serpent as her bodyguard.

He was not sure, where and how he got there. He screamed but no one heard him. Someone placed a hand on his shoulder, he turned around, and he found Mishka his Russian lover.

Mishka: Jagan, how come you came here? You are not supposed to be here.

Jagan: I didn’t expect to see you Mishka. I got married, my wife was traveling to India, and I lost her.

Mishka: The flight got teleported, it entered the black hole when the secret experiment, got conducted.

Jagan: Which place is this ? are we living in a different world?

Mishka: This planet, belongs to Lilith, she hates love and abducts the pregnant woman she tries to kill the babies.

Jagan: Is it possible to crossover to her planet? Can you help me?

Mishka: Jagan, I am in heaven.

I can cross any planet you have a risk of getting lost, as you are alive.

Jagan: I don’t care Mishka, I need to save my wife at any cost.

Both Mishka and Jagan put their fate and crossover the planet. They could see the burning souls along the way and smiling innocents playing with their dolls.

They reached the planet, Lilith. Everything appeared pink as she likes pink.

The rain droplets ping, the grass pink, trees were pink.

There was a battle between Mishka and Lilith. Lilith was too powerful, but not as much as Mishka’s love for Jagan. They succeeded in rescuing Ramya.

Back in Russia.

Shakuntala receives a call,

Officer: we found a woman, in mid of a village’s abandoned forest. The rescue operation got propelled, they couldn’t identify the wreckage, but only the woman. Shankunthalla came to the hospital and was surprised to see Ramya alive. Ramya cried, she stated she didn’t remember anything. The aircraft moved, and the sky became pink. Now she is in the hospital.

The police continue the investigation. After a week, Ramya reaches home safe and secure.

She kept on asking about the Jagan and his wellbeing, but Shakunthalla never answered her.

Finally, she took her to his hospital and showed her. Jagan met with an accident, exactly after a month, the same place where Mishka died.

Luckily he survived, but have got into a coma. Ramya cried a lot, Shakunthalla asked her to stay along with her, as it was not safe for her to travel to India. Every day Ramya used to speak to Jagan, hoping for a response but it was dismay to her.

After four months, Ramya delivered a baby girl. She showed him the baby girl and got her close to his ears. She started crying, and its tears fell on him. Jagan, who was in vegetate state shed tears at last and started showing improvements.

After a year, Jagan healed perfectly, from the coma. Ramya called the girl as Durga. Jagan named her as Mishka. Probably Ramya’s belief in god rescued Jagan. Probably Jagan’s love brought him back to life. Probably Mishka’s love brought, both of them back to life, and she took rebirth, as his daughter.

Love, need not be defined in relation, it can be selfish with a bond, and relationship like Jagan’s and Ramya’s or it can be selfless, like Shakunthala’s and Mishka. Love is god for everyone.

Liberate them from heart, and not in the statue. Souls find a way to connect back for love.