Collection of My Creations P.  Krishnamoorthy

 

About Me

Being  intensely  involved in developing  my hobbies of painting  and writing besides photography, this  blog ‘Collection Of  My  Creations” is  a presentation  of my sustained interest and a testimony of expression of creative skills or imagination,  transformed  thru a  visual medium. Art covers a host of disciplines which  includes  painting  and writing.  A good art work, regardless of whatever category of  image it depicts,  produces a scintillating  experience  for the viewers through its  ingredients of captivating colors and convincing  compositions.   Similarly the other discipline of art is writing  – literary work.   In any language usage of  apt words and phrases in right context to transform an imaginative thought, will result in an invisible and  indelible  impact  in the minds of the readers.  The imaginative skills of a successful writer, particularly on  fiction combined with the above  tools ,will undoubtedly  present a well-knit  plot with clear and convincing  portrayal  of  the  various characters and  ambiance of  scenes and incidents. The skill of the writer gets all kudos when introducing  the unexpected twists and turns to the climax for a fitting  finale. The sustained interest in uninterrupted reading of that work n to its end,  bears testimony of the writer’s imaginative skills and its true transformation to a medium. In short, a writer’s wish  is always “a drop of ink should make a million think.”   Photography is another form of art. “It has the power to do more than reproduce what we see. It can transform the particular to the universal, the routine  to the poetic. And when we add our personal vision to the technology of photography, we cross the line from mere reproduction to transformation. As we move from science to art, we begin speaking with the vocabulary of aesthetics, not just a vocabulary of technology. With this shift we enter the world of photography”. The purpose of this blog is mainly to share my thoughts and some of the creations in art  with others. P. Krishnamoorthy

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"Feathered  Friends"

 perch on a

 Dead Tree

f

                

      Floral Delight!

                    

                    Art works by :                                            P.Krishnamoorthy               

 

THE IRONY OF FATE

- P. Krishnamoorthy

During her morning rounds in the maternity section, Dr. Susan had cleared Shreya for discharge.  Shreya came to the hospital a week before for delivery and she had to leave with the child. On hearing the discharge, she was confused as to where she could go with the newborn.  She had left all her kith and kin, trusting Sudhir’s romantic promises to marry her later. When Shreya’s parents were against her decision for marriage with him, Sudhir extended  the olive branch of ‘living together’ concept with him to tide over the present crisis and  delay the marriage.   Left with a predicament of two options either to forget him or to live with him on his terms, Shreya decided to accept Sudhir’s terms and moved in to the new life.    Later when Shreya divulged to Sudhir that she was in the family way, he showed his indignation and resentment. He left Shreya on the pretext that he got a job in Dubai. She was reluctant to go back to her parents. With a troubled mental setup and with the newborn, Shreya looked depressed about her future.  Suddenly Shreya’s eyes focused on the parked empty passenger rail coaches at a distance.  She felt some relief to keep the crying baby in one of the coaches to stop crying. At that time a middle-aged passerby, who was strolling in that area, heard the baby’s crying, wanted to look at it. Shreya immediately hid her presence and was anxious to know his next move. Since the baby’s crying continued, he went into the compartment and looked around to see whether anybody was rushing to take care of the baby.  After making sure that nobody came to claim the crying baby, the stranger took the baby in his hands and looked at the child. Shreya was watching his movements, and to her surprise the stranger looked around again.  As nobody came forward to claim the child, he carried the baby with him and left the place. Shreya was relieved as the child would hopefully grow well somewhere under his care. Though Shreya was outwardly happy with getting rid of the child, her inner motherly conscience emotionally tormented her with tears in her eyes on the parting. She regrettably had to feel her sentimental attachment to the child was over with her discarding. She was feeling consoled by her wishful thought that the child would grow well under somebody’s care.

Amidst her various thoughts relating to her future, Shreya saw a political women’s procession with more than one hundred members passing through her place. Suddenly something flashed in her mind. Shreya quietly merged into the crowd and joined in their chorus of slogans. As her voice was loud and bold, they attracted the leader and other members. At the end of the session in the party office, the leader enquired about Shreya’s personal details. She allowed Shreya to stay in the office premises itself. Shreya soon became indispensable for her oratory and rhetoric for various party street meetings. Shreya’s speeches attracted and impacted all sections of the public, thereby she was elevated to party’s general secretary’s position. More than all the accolades she got Shreya was immensely pleased when she was nominated   as the party’s candidate in one of their constituencies’ bye elections. By this she felt she had achieved the initial step in her life’s ambition. The disappointment she suffered in Sudhir abandoning her and her child’s memories repeatedly followed like a shadow in her and made sleepless nights for her.

During one of her visits to the election constituency, Shreya had to call on an influential family in a mansion for their support. In the mansion, she had a shock and felt a big blow on her head at the sight of a picture.   The lady of that mansion was mentioning that she was living alone with her only daughter. She was pointing the framed picture on the wall as her husband ‘Shyam’ who died in a car accident.  Shreya was stunned as the man in the picture was Sudhir.  With a changed name as Shyam, he got married to that lady for her affluence.  Unable to control her reactive feelings, Shreya left that house without solicitation for the election.  Even after her return to the party office, she suffered mental shock due to that incident’s impact on her.

Time immemorial, the adolescent attraction between two sexes had been a natural occurrence, leading to promises of joining together in life as partners. Some achieve what they wished for, and some end up unsuccessful in their ambitions. Some even discard the partner to abide their parent’s decision against the choice of the partner.  Some to go after their beloved ones leaving the parents   and lead a life under the new concept of ‘living together’. Under the new concept they marry later after they make sure they are compatible with each other in their individual likes and dislikes.  Unfortunately, some in the fair sex, trusting partner’s promises, fall prey early to end up in the family way.

Shreya was a victim of such a situation. Sudhir’s promise to get married to her later was misleading to execute his own plan. Instead, he married the other lady for her wealth. This situation had drastically changed Shreya’s attitude towards Sudhir to a male chauvinist.  Sudhir’s repeated assurance that he would come back and marry her, made Shreya deliver the baby. Otherwise, she had the option to abort it.  Shreya was more agitated and deeply offended whenever she recalled the scenario in her memory. The consequent effect made Shreya to fight against male chauvinism at all levels. She made a vow to fight for woman’s’ rights and privileges against male chauvinism and conveyed this indirectly in all her party speeches. Some male members in the party objected to her severe condemnation but Shreya had the full support from the female members and public women for her cause. When Shreya got a grievance from one of the members whose daughter was ill treated by her husband, she was able to sort out their problem with the help of the police. With her male chauvinism attitude, even trivial mistakes by males were not condoned by her. Though Shreya was able to reach high with her present position in the party, the irreplaceable attachment with her parents she lost forever due to Sudhir’s betrayal.

To her surprise, Shreya became the education minister in the cabinet with more responsibilities and all perks like independent villa, security and cooking staff, latest model car with driver, etc. She became a celebrity idol with fame and fortune knocking on her doors. She was deemed exceptional in developing projects for the education of the poor. Shreya was invited to be the keynote speaker in a school day cultural program. After prayer, she delivered her speech followed by other speakers. Before commencement of cultural events, there was a singing competition.  Among the contenders, there was one blind student, who sang a patriotic Bharathi song. The entire audience was enthralled with his singing. When he finished the song, the audience stood and applauded his singing. The judges of the competition also announced him as the winner of the singing competition. He was introduced as Raju by his teacher.  Shreya was emotionally moved by his blindness as also with his melodious voice. For no rhyme or reason Shreya was experiencing the feeling of bondage emotions at the sight of Raju. Her inner emotions could incredibly outburst, but she controlled them to preserve her public image. She wanted to help him to revive his eyesight. When Shreya went to the dais to distribute the prize to him, his teacher was with him. Shreya enquired about details of Raju.

The teacher briefed Shreya that he was an orphan. He found him as an unclaimed infant crying in a railway compartment. As a passerby, the teacher heard the child crying. When he knew that the child was unclaimed and crying for a long time, he brought the baby with him. On hearing this, Shreya felt embarrassed as she was not able to openly declare her ownership of that baby  due to her ministerial status. When the teacher found the child lost eyesight, he checked with a doctor who confirmed that he lost his sight at birth. On hearing his narration, Shreya became very emotional, but she concealed her feelings within her. Shreya immediately took her cheque book and wrote a check for fifty lakhs rupees in Raju’s name. After a   brief pause the teacher took Shreya aside to tell her something discreetly.

 What the teacher told Shreya made her feel as if there was a big earthquake. Also, she experienced as if she was stabbed with many knives. The teacher said that Raju suffered from fever since last week and when doctor checked and diagnosed, he had cancer, and he would not survive beyond three months. Still If she would like to give the check, the teacher requested her to make it in the name of the school for the new building coming up.  

To accomplish her ambition of a rich and comfortable life, Shreya discarded voluntarily her own child. God had punished her for such ruthless selfish attitude, by directing her to witness a scenario where she would see her blind dying son and present him a gift. She was tormented at that impactful scene and felt her heart shattered into a million pieces. She regretted the absence of proper care and nourishment in Raju’s life during the bygone years. She felt ashamed of immersing herself in life comforts when Raju lacked even the basic conditions in living.  She sensed guilty in not making any effort to know his whereabouts and find him, despite her memories often reminding her of the child. The other partner of the episode Sudhir was also mercilessly punished by the Almighty through his death in a car accident. The accolades, laurels and societal status in life would never offset what Shreya lost in the motherly happiness in taking care of her own child and the family life.

 

 

A  Damsel in Distress 

- P.Krishnamoorthy

“The face that launched thousand ships” –  Helen of Troy, Greece the epitome  of beauty often incarnated in these lines by British playwright Christopher Marlowe. My parents named me as Harini. I was exceptionally  a beautiful girl and my college crowd named me as “Helen".   Besides my beauty, I was equally the topper both in college academics and athletic fields. With prudent management of  my time, I was also successful in other activities like inter-college debates, oratorical and cultural programs. I had even calls for modelling from various corporates but I had to deny such offers due to my parents ‘no’ to commercial publicity.  In short I was the ‘dream girl’ for many in the college.

Beauty had never been an exclusive asset for  human kind. In everyday life we witness beauty in all nature’s creations, like birds flying together in a pattern, the flow of  roaring cascades, fresh flowers in different shapes and colors, celestial formations in the sky etc. In these it had manifested in different dimensions; it could even be called as omnipresent. They generate the feeling of responsiveness - happiness and joy, with their various displays strictly within us and not reciprocal. The one universal reaction generated from adolescent feminine/masculine group towards beauty had been in the form of  instinctive and reciprocal response towards life partnership.  Since my beauty made others envy, I was very proud and obsessed with it.  This also made me dismissive with others and even looked down people  with a sense of haughtiness. Would this beauty remain with me forever by any miracle stopping  the wheel of time, or it would subject to natural process of change with passing of years?  Though I was a ‘dream girl’ to  many of my college mates, I had a special interest in only one – Arun in my class. He impressed me with his gentle manners, good  behavior, non-involvement in any college controversies and gossips. He was also smart and handsome. But he moved with me strictly as a friend and colleague only in spite of my various advances to make him my ‘hero’. His parents were abroad and he was staying in the college  hostel.

Suresh, another college mate, with a group of his students  always ragged the girls. He was from a very rich family who were well connected in political circles. He was also well built and handsome but resolute to achieve whatever he wanted at any cost. With the inducement of  his  group members to try his teasing skill with me, one morning  he stopped me and tried to hug me forcibly at the college entrance. Instantly I slapped him with my shoe  before his friends.  Others witnessing this,  intervened and sent us all to classes except Suresh who left the college for the day. For  couple of days Suresh was not to be seen in the college. I was surprised at his silence and not taking any retaliatory action towards me.

On the third day, as usual when I came to the college, the same group was waiting for me. Suddenly Suresh came out from  the group and threw a bottle of acid on me.  It hit me on the right side of my face. I felt as if a fire ball landed on me;  unable to bear the burning sensation I screamed with the pain. Others gathered there took me to the hospital for immediate treatment. I was in the hospital for a month with my whole face wrapped up in heavy bandage. Among the many visitors called on me, I had the consolation of a particular visit by my hero Arun who  enquired with concern and wished me ‘very speedy recovery’. 

After a month I came home with the bandages removed. On reaching home, I immediately rushed to see my face in the mirror. When I looked my face I became hysterical at what I saw. There was a big dark scar and my beautiful face was completely ruined. When I even hate to see my awful face, how I would face others with such a dreadful ugly appearance? With a heavy flower vase I hit the mirror and broke  into pieces. The mirror was shattered to pieces that  got scattered all over the place. I looked at them and felt as if every broken glass piece was still reflecting my  horrible face. I wish the reflections in the mirror were distorted. With this, my future life also had broken to pieces as the glass bits. I also got an answer that my beauty was not eternal in reply to my earlier query. I had to discontinue my college studies. In short I became a depressed wreck?

Though my father was in a high position, he could not take any police action on Suresh due to his father’s political influence as  a Minister. He also arranged to send him abroad for his higher studies. With my facial wound getting gradually healed, the black scar was well visible. I had to cover my face with a veil  to hide the scar. I regretted myself for my earlier arrogant pride on being beautiful that made me to look down others.   The eyes that glorified my beauty earlier,  had now become inimical and  expressed critical comments on my problem. On account of this I suffered with a kind of inferiority complex and preferred loneliness.

With  years passed,   I  pursued my academic studies through postal tuition and got a degree. This inspiration  was instrumental to get a job in a multi-national  company   with my father’s help. I considered this as a turning point in my life as it provided an opportunity to come out of my depression. The very sight of my face in the mirror  often pushed me to isolation from others.  At such times reading books on divinity and classics came to my rescue and a solace to me.

Gradually I was able to reconcile myself to reality. When I wanted to be happy with my reconciliation, I never thought I would  be put to a test once again.  Destiny’s directive was different with me. One of our relatives visited us one day  for my marriage alliance. Their terms of demand were shocking to me. To offset the big scar on my face, they demanded dowry in gold and heavy cash payment for their divorced son. This was a big blow to me and forced to me to a decision of remaining a single for the rest of my life. My parents were unhappy on my decision. 

My all-time loneliness from others was keenly observed by my boss who was eager to know the reason for my isolation. He took me home and enquired all the details about me.  He found  my facial scar was the main reason for my complex situation and seclusion  He immediately suggested one Dr. Vikram, a well-known specialist in plastic surgery in U.S, was visiting India shortly . If I agree he could arrange a sitting with him to check whether my scar could be removed through plastic surgery. On my hesitation for a positive response over the total cost of the project, he came out with an offer that the company would bear all the expenses. I instantly agreed for his proposal as this  would make my face scar-free and relieve my parents from the  worry of  my future life.

After Dr Vikram’s arrival, as planned I had a sitting with that doctor. After all preliminary tests, he confirmed that the scar could be removed through plastic surgical procedure.  On the scheduled day, after anesthesia, I became totally unconscious for the surgery. I was not aware of what happened to me. After six hours of surgery when I was in the recovery room, to my surprise, I saw  Suresh   standing before me in doctor’s outfit.  In few moments Dr Vikram also entered my  room. After  introduction, he said that Dr Suresh was working with me in the U.S hospital  and he only performed your successful surgery under my supervision . He assured me I would get my original clear face in few weeks and  Suresh would take best care of you.  Before leaving the room, he winked at us and wished Suresh the best of luck.

The fact that Suresh was going to perform the surgery, was purposely concealed by  Dr Vikram as he knew that I may not agree  for such an arrangement in view of our past college incident. Suresh was feeling ashamed of what he  did in the college and tendered his sincere apologies for that incident. I could see tears in his eyes as he uttered the apology. This impelled me  to reciprocally offer my apologies for my emotional reaction of slapping him with my shoe before his friends.

During our conversation I  assumed an impression that Suresh was still having an interest in me and his talk was oriented towards revival of his past interest. Though my interest of such a relationship was only with Arun , Suresh’s talk and his unbiased performance of my successful surgery that restored my beautiful face, and absence of any information about Arun,  now made me to think favorably towards  Suresh. I could also see Suresh now as a gentle person unlike the college days’ arrogant individual. I have made up my mind to accept his indirect proposal and promptly conveyed my decision to my parents to relieve them from my earlier decision of remaining single for the rest of my life.

On the last day of my discharge among other visitors, Suresh was held up en route and  came last  to see me with a three-year old girl holding his hand.  When I came to know that she was his daughter  I was shocked as my imaginative assumptions of life partnership  with him  were only the proverbial ‘castles in the air’. With my personal disappointment, I was discharged from the hospital.

As expected I was back to normal health and when I saw my clear face in the mirror I was jubilant with joy. Dr Vikram invited me and my parents for a dinner at his home. After the dinner,  we were taken to various rooms of his house. In one of the rooms I saw many pictures in ornamented silver frames. Suddenly my eyes got fixed strikingly on one of them... At that sight I could feel thousand butterflies flying within me. I was excited even more than when I got back my clear face. The person in the picture was my hero Arun. Observing  my interested involvement  in the picture, Dr Vikram said his name was  Arun, my only son in U.S and visiting India next week. We were in the process of getting some good alliance for his life partnership.  He made a surprise move by showing the picture to my parents and expressed his desire to get me as his daughter-in-law. I could not believe my ears. For a moment I was on the top of the world! I realized how destiny played its cards by offering a preferred choice over a hospital disappointment.  They looked at me for a response and instantly I nodded my consent. Finally I got a gift through Arun as my life partner after a long wait and struggle. 

 

A  CONFLICT  OF  CULTURES

- P.Krishnamoorthy

The ‘war of words’ came to an end with a tentative break arrived at between Suresh and his wife, Sheila over a sentimental issue of a relationship. This abrupt interruption and provisional truce were mainly due to the entry of Suresh’s father, Aditya Sarma after his evening walk. The couple had determined not to disclose to him about the issue they had discussed.  The bone of contention between the couple protracted for quite some time without an end; but undoubtedly  it was taking a toll in their married life. While Suresh, as a  husband was strongly inclined to keep his wedding intact without break, on the contrary Sheila was bent upon demanding her ‘pound of flesh’ of divorce or an agreement on an alternative.

 Having born in Germany when her father served in Indian Embassy and later moved to India after his retirement, Sheila had her Masters in Banking and joined a multi-national bank.  Sheila and Suresh were working together in the same bank that paved the way to become a  married couple.    Pradeep, now a teen-aged boy was their lone son. Suresh, the only son of  Aditya Sarma,  brilliant in his academics and athletics, was brought up by his father since he was three years old when Sarma became a  widower. A retired government official, he was well known as a strict disciplinarian and a devoted traditionalist.  Suresh’s upbringing by him from childhood with traditional and cultural values infused positive attitudes in him.   Suresh also complied with his father’s various traditional dictums. Sarma felt very happy in Suresh following his footsteps till his marriage with Sheila.

As a customary tradition,  on the first day of Sheila’s entry into Suresh’s abode as the bride, , Sarma wanted her to step into the house with her right foot first. Sheila negatived to follow the customary tradition as she belonged to the anti-traditionalists. Further, she questioned whether the westerners follow any such tradition, and still, they were all well off. This incident was a great shock to Sarma. Suresh was helpless and to avoid embarrassment,  allowed Sheila to enter as she wished.  Sarma felt this as a personal initial defeat to him before the guests.. Strange sadness shot up in him as he was connecting the dots.  He was worried about his future status in the family during interactions with Sheila.   He was earlier hoping to convert Sheila gradually to his traditionalism doctrine.  When Suresh questioned her later on her blunt reply to his father before many witnesses, an instant reply came from her as ‘courage of conviction’. She also elucidated its meaning “to act or behave in accordance with one’s beliefs or ideologies”. This incident clearly further manifested Sheila’s staunch anti-traditionalist idealogy. Both the son and father were disappointed by her behavior. But they consoled their regrets under the pretext that she was born and grew up in foreign soil.

Time and again, Sarma and Suresh passionately argued the benefits of following traditions,  as they evolved various disciplinary codes for daily life. They also reiterated that those codes would ensure an individual not to be distracted over evil deeds and things. Such codes also helped to regulate one’s personal health besides developing positive attitudes. Such traditional practices were evolved over a protracted period by the elders, and passed on to successive generations,  Even with all these substantive instances of traditionalisms, Sheila was refusing to get convinced.

On the contrary, Sheila’s counter arguments were based on comparing with the western world,  where no one believes in traditional practices in daily life. Still, they were all successful in life. According to her, these traditional practices had their origin with the various religions over an extended period with varied changes to adapt themselves for each generation. Superstition was the mainstay of traditional customs.’ Superstition was always the antithesis of wisdom’. The religious codes were laid down in scriptures just for their sustained survival.  With the inroads of globalization, the planet earth was shrunk and brought into the living rooms. The living standards were also influenced by western and other concepts. With the development of various technologies including extensive information technology, people were questioning the compatibility of traditional practices with practical living. Still Sheila’s stubbornness and determination in believing that ideology remained strong in spite of various counter-arguments put forth to convince her.

Sarma gave up his efforts to convert Sheila from anti-traditionalism due to the backdrop of her birth and brought up in a foreign country. Instead, he was concentrating his efforts on Pradeep as he was born in Indian culture. In his eagerness, he was more pressuring him in his attempts. His efforts later proved counterproductive due to Sheila’s influence on Pradeep very strongly.  As a teenager, he liked the western and modern ways of living.  With access to all video games and ultra-modern technological playing gadgets, he became an addict to them, thereby totally neglecting his studies. He was only an average student in his class. His pastime was always in street gangs and teasing the girls. He always made fun of the traditional practices at home and branded them as a waste of time and money.  These resulted in frequent heated arguments between father and son. On such occasions. Suresh had the support of his father to suppress Pradeep’s viewpoints. He was recollecting the words “We are an unusual last generation who had to listen to the parents  and also the first to listen to the children” 

It was a rainy night.  Pradeep came home past midnight. He was staggering due to excessive drinking at a party. Responding to the doorbell, Sheila opened the door. She was shocked to see him like that. However motherly affection escorted him to his bed. Suresh and Sarma were also witnessing the scene from their beds. The next morning Suresh started the inquiry process of the previous night’s episode.  Sheila supported Pradeep saying he attended only a birthday party of his close friend where the fruit juices and other beverages were served.  Some mischief monger in the gathering secretly mixed alcohol in Pradeep’s drink and that was how he became a victim of circumstances. Even when the investigation was going on, Pradeep looked dazed and depressed. Suresh and Sarma were not accepting this ridiculous story. They confirmed that Pradeep deliberately consumed alcohol. They were only hoping that he was not in any drug-addict group!

The continued exchange of arguments between the two sides created more animosity among the family members. Sheila felt Sarma’s interference in Pradeep’s activities, impacted Pradeep severely to depression.  This led him to decide to live separately in a hostel.  Sheila was not willing to let Pradeep go alone; instead, she suggested she would also move with Pradeep.  This may eventually end up in a division and consequent divorce between Sheila and Suresh. Sheila offered another alternative of her father-in-law moving to a senior citizen home,  thereby save their marriage. She was insisting on her ‘pound of flesh’ in the terms of the deal.  Finally, with all reluctance Suresh had to accept the deal to save his marriage and also avoid parting of his wife and son  The entire conversation was overheard by Sarma.

Having failed to transform Sheila and Pradeep to traditional ideologies, Sarma thought a fusion of two ideologies, would solve the present deadlock. This would bring a balance by which their confrontations in daily life could be avoided. But to accomplish this, Sarma realized, to arrive at a compromise, either side should be convinced of favorable elements in traditional values as also the instant access to information and immediate transferring advantage in modern concepts. But there was a hurdle in trying a fusion. The traditional values and practices were only the legacies passed on to successive generations. The impact of such legacies was only felt only in following them sincerely. There was no means of monitoring them for results. Again these traditional values were mostly divine based. During those generations, they were not confronted or questioned but accepted by society on a divine basis. With the inroads of technological developments, the utility of modern concepts was monitored and analyzed for practical living. Divinity and technology were treated by society as separate entities.Sarma regretted his failed efforts to transform Pradeep with the ideological complexities. Aa the optimism nose-dived, the show-down finally appeared as an ultimatum.  Before Suresh conveyed the delicate decision to his father,  he himself offered to move to a senior citizen home thereby the family could be spared from a split. Only Suresh had to make a compromise in life.

Admission process and other formalities were completed with ‘New Hope Living” a senior-citizen home combined with an orphanage.  Sarma, after bidding farewell to Sheila and Pradeep, looked up the house in tears where he lived for more than forty years. They arrived at  ‘New Hope Living’. Suresh was dead against these elder homes, for, according to him, they only encourage the younger generation to ensure their elders to live there, so that they could be free from taking care of them.  Both Suresh and Sarma were in tears before separation. Their eyes spoke their sentiments in silent language, recollecting the erstwhile years. Then Sarma was taken into the complex by the manager.  

As Suresh was exiting the premises, he felt a hand patted on his shoulder from his back. He turned and saw an old man, an inmate of the Home. He introduced himself as an old-time pal of his father. His words “finally you admitted your father in the same complex, from where you hailed from”. On hearing this, he felt a tremor under his feet and a heavy blow on his head. The whole world was falling apart before him.  The stranger further clarified his statement - “Sarma adopted you from this orphanage when you were three years old. But he did not like you to know about this so far”. Suresh had the shock of his life more than the sentimental separation.