Shyamali’s escape

-by

KParthasarathi Friday, November 09, 2007
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Lifestyle/UCStory4875.htm


The whole Kolkata city was then under the grip of panic. People were afraid to stir out of their homes after 9pm.They avoided secluded spots and desolate roads. A maniac was bashing with a heavy stone the heads of the hapless men or women sleeping on the pavements or outside their huts. He derived pleasure in killing solitary individuals he encountered on the way. Police did not have any clue. The media and the public raised a hue and cry at the inability of the police to nab the murderer. He changed his venues depending upon the place where the police mounted its vigil. One day it was Behala, another day at Kasba and Ekbalpur on another day. The homicidal maniac seemed cunning and shifted his operation easily from Ranikuthi to Salimpur baffling the police on where to increase its patrol.Rikshaw pullers refused to pull after 9pm and sought the safety of their homes. Even the homeless beggars found safety in numbers and stayed together. The middle class people avoided moving out alone except in cars.

It was during such fearful times that Shyamali had fallen in deep love with Sayan.He had promised to pick her up around 7PM for a dinner at an exotic restaurant. She wore a bright coloured chiffon salwar suit for the occasion. He came in his two wheeler on dot at 7PM.The dinner was a leisurely affair though not heavy. They had so much to talk about and the time went stealthily unnoticed. Around 9PM.he quietly took out a diamond ring and surprised her with his proposal. She did not expect it so soon although she knew it was coming. She readily accepted. They left immediately and when they saw the moon lit DhakuriaLake, he suggested a small stroll. Both were walking with hands clasped together along the lonely area though they kept close to the main road.

When Shyamali saw a police patrol van moving on the road, she remembered the maniac on prowl. Worried she told Sayan “I am scared about the killer with stone. Let us get out of this place quickly and go home.” Sayan was unwilling to go home so soon after the proposal as he wanted to get a little amorous with her. He put his hand on her shaking shoulder and assured her that she need have no worry as he was there with her. She knew what was in his mind but discretion won over valour. But when he found her pleading with tears in her eyes, he agreed. She was looking hither and thither till she took her seat in the pillion.
When they reached her place, she asked him to drop her at the main road itself. She didn’t want to be seen coming with her lover around 11pm.He demurred and said “I will accompany you up to the gate. This area is dark and surrounded by big trees.”
She said it was hardly two hundred yards to her house and waved her hand for him to depart. When the motor cycle started with a roar and moved on its way, she turned towards her home. She let out a shriek when she saw someone moving behind the trees. She stood there frozen with fear unable to run. The dark figure emerged with a big stone in both the hands. She let out a loud scream again and fainted.

When she opened her eyes she found herself surrounded by family members.Sayan was holding her hand. “It was by Ma’s grace that you escaped narrowly. I did not leave and was waiting for you to reach your home. When I heard your scream I turned the motor cycle and could hit him with the vehicle just as the killer was raising his hands to drop the stone. He is now in the custody of the police “he explained.

When she looked at him admiringly, he mischievously added with a twinkle in his eyes “We could have avoided this unpleasant episode had we stayed at the lake and enjoyed each other’s company for some more time.”

Kpartha12@hotmail.com

The jinxed house

-by KParthasarathi Wednesday, November 07, 2007

http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Lifestyle/UCStory4871.htm
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Sivamani Iyer had a large family. When he was transferred to Madurai he found an old and spacious independent house within his affordability. Although the house was pretty old with most of the roof tiled except for the front side, it was close to market and bus stand. It was a corner house abutted by main road on the front and a small road at the side with an alley on the rear. There was a well in the compound with a couple of coconut and guava trees. It was Iyer’s sheer luck that he got this house for a small rent as the broker put it. .Iyer brought his family soon. They were all very happy as they lived in a small portion consisting of four rooms in a single row with interconnecting doors. The children enjoyed playing in the garden and his wife was happy at the large supply of coconuts for her kitchen.
It was a month later around 9-30 pm when the family members were chatting in the living room that was under the tiled portion, they heard a rain of small stones on the roof. They could not make out what it was. It had stopped in a few seconds. While they were engaged in surmising what it could be, there was another rain of stones for a longer period. When Sivamani Iyer started to go out, his wife pleaded with him not to venture out alone. Even when they were debating there was another hail of stones. Accompanied by his two young sons, he went out with a torch in hand. There was a small alley behind his house. He could see none in that lane. It was dark with no street lights. After waiting for some time, he returned to the house. There was no further incident that night. But peace of mind was denied to them as the stone throwing continued with regularity at intermittent intervals of a day or two.
Sivamani Iyer’s wife was mentioning these strange happenings to the ladies of the adjacent house keen to know whether they too had similar experience. She came to know that none of the previous tenants stayed in that house for more than a month or two and vacated it mostly in haste. They have heard people say that it was an unlucky house visited by ghosts. This was the reason the owner gave such a big house for very small rent. They could not however enlighten Iyer’s wife what or who threw the stones though they gave the gratuitous advice that it is better not to live in such a jinxed place with young children.
It was then Iyer decided to seek the help of his friend who was an inspector in the police department. Both were certain that this was no handiwork of ghosts. The patrol car visited the side road and the lane a couple of times in the nights for a week and found none strolling in the dark alley. But on one of the nights there was stone throwing. Iyer’s police friend discussed the matter with the owner who lamented that the house remained frequently unoccupied for this reason. He added that some people offered to buy the house at throw away price and that he was not willing to sell. This bit of information set the police man thinking. He devised a strategy to catch the culprits.
On the third day there was the usual downpour of stones on the roof tiles around 11pm.Immediately there after, there was a knock on the front door.Iyer and his wife in a trembling voice asked who it was at that odd hour. It was the inspector who shouted”Iyer, open the door. I have caught the culprits .You can come out safely.”
When iyer opened he saw the neighbour and his two sons standing beside the inspector. He said they have confessed to their intimidatory tactics with a view to scare away the tenants and buy the property at low price. The neighbour unexpectedly fell at the feet of Iyer and begged him to save him from further action. He pleaded he had a big family and his daughter was to get married in a month’s time. He promised that Iyer and his family could live in peace and that he would be eternally grateful for his forgiveness.
Iyer requested his Inspector friend to drop the matter and wanted to know how he zeroed on him. The inspector said it was easy as he had planted a constable for the night on the top of the tree behind the neighbour’s house. Luckily Iyer’s neighbour got into his act the same night.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com

Haunted room

-by KParthasarathi Tuesday, November 06, 2007
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Lifestyle/UCStory4860.htm
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It was not a starred hotel but a decent one that commanded a steady flow of patrons. The hotel was by the side of a large lake in a small city flooded by tourists. The ambience was good, the food delicious and service excellent. All the rooms were generally occupied on all days except the corner room in the first floor. It was the best room with large French windows on both sides with the magnificent view of the lake on one side and the green mountain on the other. But this room always remained locked not because the owner reserved it for himself. There was a story behind the door remaining locked. A young lady executive had taken that room for one night years back. She was not accompanied by anyone. She said that she missed her train and would leave the next morning. When there was no response to the repeated knocks by the bearer for the morning coffee she had earlier ordered the previous night, the police was summoned. When they broke open the door, the young lady was found strangled to death after a criminal assault. The sniffer dogs could not give any clue of the whereabouts of the culprit. Ever since the room always remained locked. A few brave men on different occasions who insisted on hiring the room telling they did not believe in ghosts came away running in the middle of night scared after they heard hideous and strangling sound from a dying woman from the bed. The management had reluctantly to keep it closed and never spoke about the room to the visitors.

Prakash, a daring youngman with rationalist views and no belief in god came to the hotel one evening seeking a room. He appeared a jolly fellow with a pleasant smile on his face. It happened that all the rooms were occupied that day. When the reception desk told him that no room was available, he pointed out to the board where keys were hung and showed the corner room in the first floor was vacant. The clerk explained that room was not let out. When he dropped names of leading politicians and informed his relationship to one of them and threatened that the hotel would come to harm if they refused to oblige, the clerk had no option but to reveal that the room was a haunted one. The young man with a derisive smile assured the timid clerk not to worry about the ghosts and that he can take care of them. He showed his pistol that he always carried to allay his fears that ghost would harm the occupant. The owner was out of station and the clerk had to let out the room. The sheets were changed and the room made spic and span before Prakash moved in. After dinner Prakash was watching a movie till midnight and then read a novel for some time. The lights in all the rooms were switched off save in the verandahs and the corner room.Prakash remained awake unperturbed and was eagerly awaiting any unsolicited nocturnal visit by strange beings. When nothing happened, he switched off the lights and went to sleep.
After about thirty minutes, a loud sound of a pistol shot emanating from the corner room was heard by all the occupants. The reception clerk along with a few security men came running. They knocked the door repeatedly. When there was no answer, the room was opened with police assistance. They found Prakash bleeding profusely with the pistol on his hand. He made hideous and strangling sound before life ebbed out. A doctor in one of the rooms examined him and nodded his head sideways to signify that it is all over. The police found the windows tightly secured and found no evidence of anyone breaking into the room. The body was sent to hospital. The police left the hotel surmising it a case of suicide. The reception clerk remembered the smiling face of Prakash and shook his head in disbelief.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com

The betrayal

-by KParthasarathi Wednesday, October 31, 2007
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Lifestyle/UCStory4809.htm

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With the children gone to school and husband at office, Jaya found the days long and boring. A bit conservative in outlook, she had no hobbies or intellectual pursuits. Occasionally some friends visited her. She never watched TV serials. She used to take a nap in the afternoons.
In the opposite apartment there was a young couple, Govind and Ranjana. Govind worked as an executive in a foreign bank and generally returned after 8pm. Ranjana too worked in a reputed company in secretarial position. They were married for five years and seemed happy. The weekends saw them invariably in some outing. A very soft and well mannered person, Govind was not handsome.Ranjana on the other hand was very attractive. Except the hello when they met in the common stairs, Ranjana was aloof and never mixed with Jaya. The latter also did not take a liking for her for the way she dressed and talked in a coquettish manner. What irked her was that whenever Jaya and her husband met her on the way or in the market, she talked more with Jaya’s husband than with her. Govind left for office quite early and Ranjana would leave around 9am.
One day when Ranjana left for office, Jaya was following her about hundred yards behind on her way to bank. She saw a young man coming out of a waiting Maruti opening the front door for her. She saw the same thing happening on several occasions subsequently. Probably a colleague staying nearby giving lift to her, she thought. But being suspicious in nature, this rankled in her mind. When she mentioned to her husband, he chided her for being petty minded.
One afternoon around 1pm she heard a car stopping opposite her house. When she peeped thro the window, she saw Ranjana with the young man alight from the car. Jaya saw them thro the peep-hole getting into their flat with his arm around her shoulder. After about one hour they left the flat.Jaya felt that all is not well from the way he put her hand on her and their spending an hour alone in the flat. She stopped sleeping in the afternoons and kept a constant vigil to see whether they come again. Her vigil revealed to her that they came twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It was the same routine of one hour secretive stay in the flat. Jaya’s husband was not amused at his wife playing the role of a peeping Tom.
On one Thursday the postman after delivering a parcel wanted Jaya to accept a registered letter for Govind.After telling him that Ranjana was in the house, she closed the door and observed thro the peephole.Ranjana in her nightie opened the door after a few minutes with disheveled hair and looked exasperated at the intrusion. She appeared relieved when she saw the door of Jaya’s flat closed.Jaya was now convinced that Ranjana was having secret liaison with that young man. She was sorry for the trusting Govind who was totally unaware of the betrayal behind his back.Jaya’s husband firmly said that it was none of their business to meddle in others’ private affairs. She was restless and felt her head would break if Govind was not apprised of the treachery.
An opportunity presented itself soon for her. There was a special Puja on a Thursday in Jaya’s house with the pundit performing some havans.Ranjana had left for office earlier and Govind started a bit late around 10 am. When Jaya saw him coming out of the flat, she opened the door and requested him to participate at 1-30pm and partake of the feast. When he mumbled some excuses, her husband too came out to invite him. He agreed when told it will be over in an hour.
Jaya‘s mind was more on the likely tempest in the afternoon than on the puja. As expected Govind came at the promised time only to find that there was no lock outside his door. He presumed that Jaya had invited Ranjana too and knocked his door eagerly to meet her. Meanwhile Jaya had opened the door of her flat to welcome him. Ranjana’s door opened after some minutes and Jaya could witness the horror and disbelief in her face. A beaming Govind entered the flat only to be followed soon by loud noises, shrieks and abuses.Jaya saw Govind dragging the young man in his under garments outside the flat unmindful of several eyes on them. The door closed with a big bang.
Jaya heaved a sigh of relief though she felt a tinge of regret for planning the ‘discovery’. The couple vacated the flat within a week leaving no address behind.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com

Do punishments reform the children?

-by KParthasarathi Monday, October 29, 2007
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Lifestyle/UCStory4751.htm
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The news item of the tragic demise of a young boy of eleventh standard after he was made to run around in the school ground at Ahmedabad for coming late to school by 15 minutes brings to sharp focus the still prevalent wrong notion that punishment brings about discipline. It is understood that one hundred and ninety two governments have accepted an obligation to take appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of violence (article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child). I have also read the news reports that the UN study on violence against children has set 2009 as target for the prohibition of all violence against children, including all corporal punishment. The case mentioned above is not an isolated one. Everyday hundreds of cases of such inhuman punishments do take place across the country in many schools and go unreported unless there is a fatal outcome.
There are several myths associated with punishments either in schools or at homes. They are that punishment reforms the errant child, it is the duty of teachers and parents to tame and train the children by punishment, it instills discipline early in life to become useful citizens later in life, it builds character and so on and so forth. It is erroneous to think that if the rod is spared, the child would be spoilt. I believe that all forms of punishment only leave a deep and permanent mental scar and that no child should be allowed to suffer it. Punishments indirectly teach the young things that violence in word or action is acceptable and a way to control others. They may replicate such a behaviour towards their peers or younger kids. While they may appear chastened immediately after punishments, they would deeply nurse resentment and anger. Quite often it would lower the self esteem and self confidence of the children. It would invariably smother all goodwill and naturalness in them. It would develop hatred inwardly towards the teacher. There is the risk of some of them turning violent and hard hearted in their later years. One thing is certain namely the children would be denied the happiness and freedom of childhood. Many children from the poorer sections would drop out of the school.
All these do not mean that a permissive society is recommended where there is no place for admonition or pulling up the erring kids. The children should be won by love and gentle ways. As a young boy I used to get beatings from my mom whenever I did a serious mischief, hitting the siblings, breaking in anger the things that come to hand etc.I always tried to run away from the scene and when I returned after sometime my mom would have forgotten the episode. But I do not remember a single occasion when my dad had ever hit me or used harsh words. A mere frown or change in the colour in his face would torment me for days and see me assuring him of my good behaviour.The point that I am trying to emphasize is that mere beatings fail to serve useful purpose while it can be achieved by gentler methods.
There should be a rethinking amongst the teaching community in particular and the parents that punishments as a mode of reform are passé and that hitting or punishing crudely is nothing but child abuse and a gutless act. As some one put it: "If you strike an adult, it’s called assault; if you strike an animal it is called cruelty; if you strike a child, it’s called discipline.” I think this puts the things in proper perspective. The school authorities must as a first step insist on hands-off policy amongst all the teachers and abjure violence in any form. Any repeated violation of this requirement should be visited upon with dismissal.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com

Jobless stranger at work

-by KParthasarathi Tuesday, October 30, 2007

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It was a big bungalow with the building far from the gate. It was guarded by a security man. The house did not appear to have been occupied by many occupants. No children were seen playing around in the lawn. There were no women appearing to live in the house. Occasionally some cars used to come only to go back soon. There was no specific time; it could be mid day or late nights. The gate remained always locked. Some new buildings were coming up in the posh area.
A fat man in white Kurta pyjama walking on the long verandah noticed a man sitting on the culvert on the opposite side of the road. The man had a few days stub on his face. His shirt was dirty and frayed at the collar. The fat man wondered why he was sitting there doing nothing. When he came out to the verandah after some time, he saw the same man still loitering there. He was seen frequenting a tea shop nearby. In the days that followed, he found this man always there. His suspicions were aroused as he thought he could be a burglar reconnoitering the area. It was not a very comfortable thought. He asked the durwan about the stranger who confirmed that he too saw him for the last one week but he seemed harmless. May be he came daily along with someone working in the new building that was coming up.
He asked the durwan to call him. When he came, the fat man asked “What are you doing here daily? I have been seeing you for a week doing nothing except sitting on the culvert or sipping tea in the teashop. What brings you here?” He replied in very deferential tone “Saheb, I come here daily hoping to get some work in the new buildings. I am a plumber and electrician but have no work for a fortnight. The tea shop owner is from my village and I take my food there.”
The fat man though not fully pleased with the answer told him that was fine though he felt he was wasting his time here. The stranger replied “I agree, Saheb, but will give it a try for a few more days. I think I will succeed in getting what I want.” He became stress-free when the stranger was not seen from the next day.
It was past noon a few days later, the fat man noticed that no stranger was visible on the culvert. He became a little relaxed and talked to some one on his mobile. In a few minutes a black sedan came and the gate was opened to allow the car inside. The fat man came down to receive the visitor. When the door did not open and the glass was drawn down by a few centimeters, the fat man spoke in hushed tone “Hurry up, I don’t see any stranger outside the gate. Be quick to unload the stuff and get away fast.”
The door opened and the driver came out with a dazed look. There was fear in his eyes. The fat man shouted “You fool, what has happened to you? Carry the stuff quickly to the first floor. I will kill you if you play any dirty tricks.” When the driver looked behind his shoulder, the stranger in tatters accompanied by three armed men in police uniform stepped out. “Your game is up and my job is completed. Yes, your suspicions were well founded. I had tips about the goings on here and I intercepted the car today. There are several police vans outside at the street corner. Do not attempt any tricks.” The constables promptly hand cuffed the fat man. The driver took them to the first floor along with the packets in the car. When the entire stack of contraband stuff was seized, the Superintendent of Police in frayed collar smiled happily.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com

A clever ploy

-by KParthasarathi Monday, October 22, 2007
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Lifestyle/UCStory4717.htm
The stench of urine from outside the compound wall was unbearable for Raman. It was a long stretch of a road with no shaded trees. There was just one big tree opposite his house that provided some cool. There was a small transformer box adjacent to the tree. The small hidden enclosure encouraged every passerby to relieve himself. It was miserable for Raman and his family. The doors and windows on the front side of his house remained always closed.
Raman put up a notice board cautioning prosecution if people urinated there. It was of no avail and someone threw cow dung at it obliterating the caution. Someone suggested his painting the wall outside with pictures of gods from different religions to dissuade the miscreants from desecrating the place. Initially it had some beneficial response but soon lost its efficacy. His representations to the municipal corporation did not help. He was at his wit’s end not knowing how to end this menace.
It was then his wife suggested a strategy. He collected a couple of short pieces of cable with the end revealing the wires. In the night when it was dark he inserted the cable wires in the earth with the ends protruding above. He wrote on the wall with a chalk piece “DANGER” prominently. What could not be done by appealing to their civic sense or the religious sentiment was resolved by appealing to the sense of fear. Men fear death as children fear darkness. Raman played on the strongest emotion of mankind namely fear to achieve his objective. Soon a cycle mechanic set up his wares at the place and a coconut vendor piled tender coconuts for sale to thirsty people.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com