THE UNDYING LOVE

(An untold story of Pure and Eternal Love)

Note: This is a fictional work, set in the accounts 2018 Kerala Floods and is also an intense love story, set in Tamilnadu and Kerala states respectively. I did research for six months. 

It is a spiritual sequel to my successful romance story Shatabdi: The Journey of Love, which was my debut story in the storymirror. Additionally, films like James Cameron's Titanic and Abhishek's Kedarnath also helped me to write this story. 

UTTARAKHAND JUNCTION:

10:30 PM:

As the time is 10:30 PM, the Shatabdi express, which has reached Uttrakhand Junction, starts and is going towards Hyderabad Junction. While the train is going, someone in the door of the train is crying out aloud and is seemingly upset, closing his face. Upon seeing this, a man, who was sleeping in a lower berth inside, gets up. The man looks like an Indian Army officer, who is wearing a blue shirt and red pants, with a titanic watch in his left hand. His eyes are cool, sharp and blue colored. His face looks like a shining Ganges river. He reaches the man and touches his shoulder asking him: "What happened brother? Why are you sitting and crying here?"

The young man, seemingly around 25 to 28 years of age, with his black eyes replied him: "Don't I have a freedom to cry also sir." After pausing a while he tells: "Lord Krishna said: Love wins all and further told to love everyone. But, none realizes the importance of love. This world is cheating us in the name of love."

Upon hearing this, the man asked him: "What is your name man?"

"I am Gaius, from Haryana sir. Going to Warrangal, back to my work" said the guy and he further asked for the name of this 26-year old young man. He tells him, "Myself, I am Ashwin Ramachandran, coming from Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu."

Ashwin now asked to the young man, "Gaius. Have you ever saw films, with love story?" The man initially silent replies: "Yes bro. I have seen Titanic recently and Kedarnath." Ashwin now tells him, "In both these films, the respective directors tried to showcase a love, that's set in the ocean and floods. But, in real life, we have various kinds of challenges." Shortly to say: "Our life is full of conflicts. In order to face the conflicts, you have to fight the way and stand your ground."

The duo sits in the seat and Gaius asked him: "Brother. Have you loved anyone in your life? I mean, any love stories in your life?"

Silent for a while, Ashwin tells: "True love is free from expectation, anger, and any other emotion; it involves an only act of giving, void of any expectation or null feeling. Krishna taught us the same in Mahabharata; he quoted, "He who has no attachments can really love others, for his love is pure and divine. My love story is very different."

(The story is now explained from Ashwin's point of view to make the subject more clear.)

FEW MONTHS BACK:

MEENAKSHIPURAM, COIMBATORE DISTRICT:

When one travels around the world, one notices to what an extraordinary degree human nature is the same, whether in India or America, in Europe or Australia. This is especially true in colleges and universities. We are turning out, as if through a mould, a type of human being whose chief interest is to find security, to become somebody important, or to have a good time with as little thought as possible. I was raised up by my father Ramachandran.

After my birth, my mother died due to pregnancy complications. I wasn't even told how she looks or how she smiles. Hence, I have drawn an imaginary photo of my mom and used to see it, whenever I am upset. My father was working as a Major in Indian Army, during the Kargil war. He lost one of his legs, during the war in Kashmir borders, thus been handicapped for life long.

Yet my father doesn't lost his hope and had motivated me saying, "My son. What is the significance of life? What are we living to achieve distinction, to get a better job, to be more efficient, to have wider domination over others, then our lives will be shallow and empty. If we are being educated only to be scientists, to be scholars wedded to books, or specialists addicted to knowledge, then we shall be contributing to the destruction and misery of the world." I was just eight years old, when he was telling this to me. Yet, I understood and realized the seriousness of his words.

Though being 8-years old, I decided to reinvent myself. My father taught me about Bhagavad Gita- as it is, Ramayana and Mahabharata, telling me: "My son. Our Hinduism still lives. That's because, we have these three sacred books explaining about our traditional culture and importance of life." Not only those words, but also the books have gave me a great impact.

Bhagavad Gita consisted of eighteen chapters. Each of them tells us how to live a life and how to follow ethics. Mahabharata though, had so many sub-chapters and stories, I liked Arjuna and Karna. Because Arjuna was focused in his work and aim. Likewise, I just focused on my aim to become a successful guy in my life.

GDR COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE:

2016:

Years passed as such and I joined GDR College of Arts and Science. I had close friends: Madhu Varshini and Sai Adhithya. Madhu Varshini is my neighborhood. Her life is different when compared to me. When she was three years old, an accident injection made her autistic, already been suffering from ADHD. Her mother Anisha took care of her and for six years, she struggled with her and made her to recover completely.

But, it's not meant that, she is a good mother. A good mother means not just to take care of a daughter. But, have so many responsibilities such as: Taking care of family, father, etc. This lady however picks up fight with her father Narayanan, who was working in a SPB Company, where Brahmin dominance is higher and he have to adjust the problems in the company. Because, they gives due importance to the Brahmins. Due to the fight turning aggressive, they eventually divorced and this eventually forced him to give them his half of his forest property, to which she intended.

This left her mentally disturbed and turns fragile. Yet, her father guides her saying: "Blessed is human birth, even the dwellers in heaven desire this birth, for true knowledge and pure Love may be attained only by a human being. But of all I could name, verily love is the highest. Love & devotion that make one forgetful of everything else, Love that unites everyone."

As she is my neighbor, I used to play cricket and football with her. My father and her father are close friends since childhood days. We both shared a close bond and friendship. Though Adhithya was my close friend, he doesn't understood my pain at times. While, Madhu Varshini, been affected since her childhood, understood his pain and always supported me on various occasions in the school and colleges.

During my school days, many used to mock and tease Madhu Varshini, just because she is loose-talking and innocent. And in addition, doesn't get angered. One day, due to these torturous brute by one of my friend in 10th standard at Erode(I too was studying in the same school staying in the hostel), she tried to commit suicide.

However, I stopped her and said: "Committing suicide is a sin and crime Varshini. There are challenges and battles in our life. You have to fight against it."

"We must distinguish between the personal and the individual. The personal is the accidental; and by the accidental I mean the circumstances of birth, the environment in which we happen to have been brought up, with its nationalism, superstitions, class distinctions and prejudices. The personal or accidental is but momentary, though that moment may last a lifetime; and as the accidental, the momentary, it leads to perversion of thought and the inculcation of self-defensive fears. All of us have been trained by education and environment to seek personal gain and security, and to fight for ourselves. Though we cover it over with pleasant phrases, we have been educated for various professions within a system which is based on exploitation and acquisitive fear. Such a training must inevitably bring confusion and misery to ourselves and to the world, for it creates in each individual those psychological barriers which separate and hold him apart from others." These words had inspired Madhu Varshini and she formed a schedule for her studies. Knowing her weakness, she did yoga practices, exercises and prayers without any medication in order to keep her psychological weakness controlled. She scored good marks and studied well.

Education is not merely a matter of training the mind. Training makes for efficiency, but it does not bring about completeness. A mind that has merely been trained is the continuation of the past, and such a mind can never discover the new. That is why, to find out what is right education, we will have to inquire into the whole significance of living. After 10th also, we were in the contact. Because, both of us studied in the same school for our higher secondary education in 11th and 12th. Even Sai Adhithya was in the same school. We both grew as close friends, during these times and Sai Adhithya slowly understood his mistakes. Madhu Varshini aimed to become a doctor.

She worked hard and studied well, determined to become a cardiologist. At present, we are second-year college student and our education is completely different here, compared to schools. To most of us, the meaning of life as a whole is not of primary importance, and our education emphasizes secondary values, merely making us proficient in some branch of knowledge. Though knowledge and efficiency are necessary, to lay chief emphasis on them only leads to conflict and confusion.

PRESENT:

"Brother. You have went backward in your life story" said Gaius, to which Ashwin asked him: "How much have I went backwards?"

"Too backward bro" said Gaius. Ashwin thinks for a while about his college days and now he tells, "Education helped me to understand about my efficiency and talent. While, practical lessons helped me to learn the reality of the present world."

2016:

I supported Madhu Varshini so well, in my college helping her by giving books, introducing her to some known doctors and lecturers with the help of my father and giving her some inspirations and motivations. In the process, I slowly fell in love with her and loved one sided, which I didn't reveal to her. But, instead, I have expressed those things in my diary.

During her birthday on 26 September 2017, I asked her: "Madhu Varshini. Do you believe in love?"

"Yes Ashwin. I once believed that Love conquers all. But, now I understand well that, Love separates everyone so easily." I realized that, the impact of her mother's separation and her selfish attitude is still deep in her heart. The sorrows aren't so easy for her to forget. As a human psychology student, I very well know about this.

Now, I had got another friend called Yazhini. She is a Brahmin girl coming from R.S.Puram of Coimbatore district. We both had met co-incidentally in the class. I grew close to her, after interrogating about exams and studies, getting materials for my works. During such time, I learnt that, "Her mother died off in heart attack, due to which she didn't grew with mother's affection. Her father and elder sister is everything to her." However, insisted by Sai Adhithya, I maintained distance from her. Since, as per his views, "Madhu Varshini is developing some possessiveness in her heart, seeing their close bonding and Ashwin's avoidance." However, on one occasion, I met Madhu Varshini in her home, she invited me for a dinner, prepared by her during the absence of her father. Since, it was my birthday. Madhu is wearing red-color sari.

During that time, I went through her diary called, "Pliers(Idukki): The memorable Journey of my life." She have mentioned about the marvelous journey of love since her childhood. Through diagram and provoking messages, she have told: "How she realized the greatness of her father, cruelty of her mother and the family. Additionally, she mentioned my name and my father, citing us to be a source of inspiration and motivation for her to become successful."

I felt emotional and tears filled into my eyes. Wiping off my tears, I went towards her and she gave me a gift. Surprised, I asked her: "What's this Madhu?"

With some joy in her face and a fabulous smile, she replied to me: "It's something special for you Ashwin. I have brought this for you. It is Titanic watch."

"What's the purpose of this watch Madhu?" As he is telling this, she tells, "Hush. Be quiet for five minutes." She turns off the power in her room and tells, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Go." She keeps the birthday cake and lights the candle. Afterward, Ashwin slowly nears Madhu and she tells him, "Ashwin. I love you da."

He is stunned for a second and doesn't know what to reply her. But, she tells him: "I know that, you would be shocked da. Since childhood, you supported me a lot. Even when Adhithya scolded you and panned, you supported me and later on, he too gave me support. But, I realized that, you have been helping me out of love and affection. I started to understand, how pure love is. However, I feared you could not be able to take care of me. That's why I didn't propose my love." Ashwin feels emotional and runs to hug her.

Now, tears filling Madhu's eyes, she asked him: "Ashwin. You shouldn't leave me anytime at any situation da. You have to support me and stay with me. Will you do it da?"

"I would always be there with you Madhu. It's my promise" said Ashwin.

Love is relative. It could mean sex to some; kissing to others and a whole lot of foreplay yet to others. But, the one thing that stays true to all these three is that love is an art. A well-performed, indulgent form of art that can only be mastered by the innate feeling of it all. Emotional or purely physical is another debate altogether.

After a while, I gave her a diamond necklace, which I am wearing since childhood days as insisted by my father, so that I could not remember about my mother. I tied it in the neck of Madhu. She asked me, "Why is this necklace da Ashwin?"

"Whenever you remember about me, this necklace would stay with you Madhu. Because, I don't know whether I could spend some qualitative time with you, once I am in Indian Army." I stopped for a while and asked her, "Ok. Why did you wear this Titanic watch in my hand?"

She told me, "So that, you won't tell a lie as well as that, you will not indulge in fights." Yes. I fought with my college mate Sanjay Krishna, a black-sheep, who always behaves like a rowdy in our class. Madhu was mocked by him. I tolerated his antics. But, I wasn't able to tolerate his tortures to Madhu and angrily hit him, warning not to intervene with her.

That day she told me: "Are you mad Ashwin? Crazily fighting with him."

"He is crossing his limit Madhu. That's why I gave him this trigger warning!" said Ashwin. For this, she told me: "Ashwin. These kinds of disturbances are common in our life. You should try to adjust it. But, shouldn't become like them. Try to control this next time."

At present, I accidentally touched Madhu's arms lightly. Leaning his hands, I slowly took my hands out, shivering. Madhu stared at me and gave a light slap. Then, she laughed and I leaned her a bit more, touching her cheek. Looking at her eyes, I told her: "Madhu. Today, you are looking beautiful." She feels emotional and shy.

Nearing me, the pretty-queen kissed me softly in my lips. I lingered her and pulled away her sari little. Madhu saw me and leaned in. Kissing her again, I lingered my lips. I holded Madhu by the waist and took a lead to bedroom. She comes closer to him. Gently holding her in my arms, I trailed a finger down her back, feeling the fabric of her dress on my skin. Running my fingers through her hair, I trailed a finger along her jawline, holding her chin up to me. Taking my own time, I lingered and kissed her more, now passionately. She realized, "I wanted her." And she too realized, "She is wanted." Right there, Right then. Slowly I removed her dress, like sculpting a statute. Teaching her to break free. She unbuttoned my shirt and took her own time to remove my dresses. While, I never stopped kissing her and lingered on her lips. After this I gently stroke the nape of her neck and kissed her neck. We both slept together, with the help of a blanket, to hide our naked body.

When you are in bed with a woman you are creating art- a poem, a song, a story, or a painting. You are creating energy and movement that makes even the disbelieving woman believe; the atheist convert and the angered calm their nerves.

ONE YEAR LATER, MARCH 2017:

One year passed now. Yazhini went for her internship program to Ernakulam, where she is selected by a famous Medical Institution. Madhu too was selected by the same medical institution. While, I and Sai Adhithya were selected for Indian Army, two days prior to the duo's selection. During the third year, when Yazhini proposed her love, I rejected her stating: "I am just a friend to her" and further stated my love with Madhu Varshini.

This girl felt jealous and incensed by anger and possessiveness, she falsely tells Madhu Varshini(before going for Internship) the reality about my Indian Army stating: "Madhu. Ashwin thinks that, he could be able to survive in the Indian Army. But, you know? It's very difficult to survive there in the amidst of mist, snowfall and fogs. And fighting with enemy troops also becomes difficult." Yazhini used Madhu's weakness such as possessiveness, emotion and short-temperedness to add a few more words to get her angered. Telling about his father's paralysis in Indian Army, which she very well knew.

Madhu came to meet me and said, "What Yazhini told is truth ah, Ashwin?"

Sai Adhithya blinks and tells her, "You are his close friend, since childhood days. Doesn't you know about Indian Army and it's life ma?"

However, Madhu demanded an answer from me, which I agreed and she quarrels with me asking: "Then, why did you told me that, 'I won't leave you and would stay forever. That's why did you gave me this necklace ah?'"

She cried saying this and accused me of betraying her. Adhithya tries to solve the issues and console her. But, is stopped by me. During the conflicts, Yazhini suddenly regains her sense and realizes, "How she did a mistake blind folded and tried to console Madhu." But, she is adamant and came near to me asking: "Madhu. I would be happier in Indian Army. You too will be happy with me."

"You won't be alive if you are in Indian Army da. Your father lost his leg during his period in the Indian Army. I don't want to send you also and lose your own life, Ashwin. Please don't go there Ashwin." She said emotionally and cried out, with tears flowing from her eyes.

"Madhu. I want you. But, I also want Indian Army."

"It's impossible Ashwin. Choose one? Me or Indian Army! Don't tell me you want both. God won't give two chances in life, as mentioned in Bhagavad Gita. Me or Indian Army. Just one straight answer." Madhu Varshini demanded answers from him.

With a heavy heart and being watched by Sai Adhithya, Yazhini, I went near to Madhu Varshini and told her: "I'm answerable to you and my father in this world. It's not for my mom or Sai Adhithya and not for my family. You and my father is everything to me. I won't do the things which make you both feel sad. Today you are asking me to decide you or this one. It's hard for me without you Madhu. But, it's impossible for me to live without Indian Army."

Looked by my friends Sai Adhithya, Yazhini and a tearful Madhu Varshini, I additionally told her, "I am asking you with your on me. Forget me for the happiness of my father Madhu. I am supposed to bring back my father's happiness back by joining Army. So, I am ready to loose our love for his happiness. Please Madhu. You'll get the best."

Emotional, she told me in tears: "I will leave my best here. I am mad about what you will do from our childhood. Everything. I felt, I got this one at least in my life, though I lost some important moments in my life. At last this one too have got an abrupt end. The other things give some pain too. But this is more painful. Much more painful. All the best da!"

After a while, I turned to Adhithya and told, "Buddy. It's time for our train da." While, Madhu goes along with Yazhini. In the train, Adhithya consoled me. But, for both of us, it's not easy to forget the memorable moments and loving days since our childhood life. Days passed and I became Major in Indian Army. With Adhithya and me in Special forces, we did several missions solving border skirmishes and rescuing people. Yet, I felt something missing in my life. Then, Adhithya advised me to meet Madhu and speak with her, taking some days of leaves in the army, after one years of our service. Yazhini, with whom I am still more in contact, afforded to help me and she herself wanted to solve the problems, created by her.

Not only Adhithya, even my father advised me to explore the world and seek my inner peace, so that I could know what this journey is telling me to do. His words were primary to me.

PRESENT:

Gaius is really shocked to hear this love story and he tells, "Brother. What a great love story in your life! Even I didn't experience this kind of a heartbreaking trauma."

Ashwin however tells him, "How Madhu Varshini suffered several trauma like this, being an ADHD patient. She was almost to lose her morality, self-respect and self-esteem, being mocked by several of her friends. But, he supported her and didn't even let her to feel the inferiority and superiority complex."

Gaius tells him that, "He would sooner solve all his problems and bids him a farewell." Since, Hyderabad junction is to arrive sooner and the duo part ways.

TWO DAYS LATER:

KOTTAYAM JUNCTION, 3:30 AM:

5 JUNE 2018:

Two days later, Yazhini, now a renowned psychologist in the medical center of Idukki, comes to Kottayam Junction, waiting for Ashwin's arrival. She phones him and asked, "Where is the train coming now Ashwin?"

"The train is to arrive at Kottayam almost Yazhini" said Ashwin, to which she nods her head and the Shatabdi Express reaches Kottayam at 4:00 AM. He gets out of the train in the junction and meets Yazhini, 50 meters away from his compartment. Having no time for chatter, he goes along with her in the car and she feels surprised to see the changed looks of Ashwin and his changed mannerisms.

Back to home, he asked Yazhini: "How is Madhu Varshini Yazhini?"

Silent for a while, she replied him: "She had not changed Ashwin. Still stubborn. She felt angered whenever I tried to speak about you. Recently, her father died in his sleep."

Feeling shocked, Ashwin asked her: "Why didn't you inform this girl?"

"I tried to call you. But, that time, your network was out of coverage. Her anger increased and she thought, you deliberately avoided her." However, Ashwin explained his position and duty in Indian Army, during that time to rescue a few people, who were held hostage by the terrorists. Ashwin contacts his father and tells, "I have came to Kottayam dad."

He asked him to take care and tells, "I wanted to hear the news that, Madhu have accepted you da." The old man said, holding his stick in the left hand and phone on the left ear. Ashwin smiles, hearing this. The next day, having finished the morning exercise, he tries to meet Madhu Varshini(now a neurologist in the same hospital of Yazhini) in her flat, where Yazhini stayed with her, before few days ago. However, Madhu refuses to talk with him and instead tells him harshly, "Our love have ended before one years, Ashwin. We doesn't have anything to be spoken now, actually." 

Hurt by her words deeply, Ashwin returns heartbroken coming to Sri Krishna temple of Idukki, accompanied by Yazhini. She tells him: "I was reason for everything Ashwin. I tried to solve this in various occasions. But she never obeyed and additionally doesn't give up her ego. That's the main reason, she is refusing to talk." 

"I hope that she would cool down and accept me one day, Yazhini" said Ashwin, to which she smiled in pain. After he leaves, she cries out emotionally seeing his photo. Meanwhile, Kerala Weather report reports to the government, "There would be incessant rains in Kerala from 12 July 2018." There was left a red alert to 14 districts of Kerala and scientists predicted that, the flood would be the worst in Kerala after "the great floods of 99" during the 1924 period. Yazhini, concerned by the news, begs Ashwin to go from Idukki back to Kashmir. 

However, he refuses and is stubborn in staying at Idukki to convince Madhu Varshini. Days later, rains start to downpour heavier in Kerala and due to this, many people are forced to stay inside their house and a total lockdown is enforced in the state. Due to circumstances, Madhu Varshini stays in the house of Ashwin and Yazhini. Since, her apartment people ran away from the place, after being rumoured about snakes entering inside the house. 

She stays stick in her decision to avoid Ashwin. For one month, the three stays in the house, surrounded by the waters. Ashwin contacts Sai Adhithya who tells him, "Buddy. I am now coming to Idukki da. Indian Army is planning to rescue the people, affected by floods." 

Idukki dam reaches full the next day and the district is given a red alert. As the river floods severely, people are trapped in the water and situation goes worst. 

Being instructed by ISRO the Cabinet Secretary, senior officers of Defence Services, NDRF, NDMA and secretaries of Civilian Ministries conducted meetings with Kerala Chief Secretary. Following the decisions taken during these meetings, the Centre launched massive rescue and relief operations. In one of the largest rescue operations 40 helicopters, 31 aircraft, 182 teams for rescue, 18 medical teams of defence forces, 90 teams of NDRF and 3 companies of Central Armed Police Forces were pressed into service along with over 500 boats and necessary rescue equipments. 

The same time, the water level somewhat goes down in Yazhini's house and the road sides. So the three make their way to the other side of a one way path, that leads to a temple, where Periyar river is in it's full flow. Seeing a child and a woman trapped in the steps of the Periyar River, Ashwin and Madhu Varshini rushes to rescue both of them and stands near Lord Vishnu there. 

Sai Adhithya and the Indian Army sees them as they wave hands towards the sky. Madhu Varshini sends Ashwin and the duo, whom she and Ashwin saved. Then, she sees three more people stuck inside the temple and plans to rescue them. She prepares to go herself after sending them. Now, Madhu have realized her mistakes and tears flows in her eyes. 

"Madhu. I need you. Please come by catching this thread Madhu. Please Madhu." Ashwin shouted and cried. Unable to see him crying, Adhithya too begged her to come using the thread, telling that: "They could adjust the seats in helicopter." 

However, there is no space for her in the helicopter, which she tells them and additionally tells: "Ashwin. This is my last words to you. Not only Army can save the lives of people. But, doctors too would be able to save people as it is our regular duty, as per the medical ethics. Reward or punishment for any action merely strengthens self-centredness. Action for the sake of another, in the name of the country or of God, leads to fear, and fear cannot be the basis for right action. If we would help a child to be considerate of others, we should not use love as a bribe, but take the time and have the patience to explain the ways of consideration. But, I didn't have the patience to listen your words. As a henceforth, my death is the punishment. I have never sacrificed or adjusted since my childhood days. But, now I am sacrificing my life for the sake of two people's goodness." As Ashwin cried and screamed at Madhu, she smiles at him recalling about their memorable days, spent together before the ground below Madhu crumbles her into the full-flooded Periyar river, killing her instantly. Ashwin breaks down and cried out aloud shouting Madhu's name, as she had been carried away by the raging river.

SIX MONTHS LATER:

COIMBATORE: 

Six months after the death of Madhu Varshini, Ashwin and Adhithya are running Non-profit organization in the name of Madhu Varshini near Coimbatore-Kerala borders. Yazhini still loves Ashwin. But she never confessed her feelings to him. The trio honours Madhu's sacrifice with a monument.

"Madhu. I never wanted to be the right guy for anyone. I doesn't want to carry that extra burden." Ashwin had a thought in his mind when he was looking at her photo. 

By sitting alone in a dark room, Ashwin recalled some memorable moments that he had with Madhu Varshini. 

EPILOGUE:

Our thinking capability is second to very fewer beings that exist on Earth today. Our human intellect allows us to think and love beyond the capacity of other sentient beings. Our consciousness helps us judge right and wrong and love unconditionally, forgive, carry empathy, and so forth; our evolutionary development allows us to love and become enlightened like none. Thus, Krishna spoke these words in Mahabharata, "Blessed is a human birth, even the dwellers in heaven desire this birth, for true knowledge and pure love may be attained only by a human being."