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Droplet on a Lotus Leaf

MEENAKSHI AMMA has already made 4 dosas and also sambar and carefully laid them in the hot case to serve her “son” when he reports for duty by evening. Every day this “son” reports for duty to his “AMMA” twice a day in the morning and evening. Yes! As he is a “helper” from the ARMY to assist her in her domestic chores it has become his official duty to report to this aggrieved lady who has given a MARTYR to our mother land. She is also drawing a sumptuous pension derived out of the brave soldier that could honorably support her and also generously contribute to social causes. Even now she could vividly recollect scene by scene when her beloved son’s mortal remain was brought from the KARGIL front by a special flight to her house at a village near CHENNAI. MEENAKSHI AMMA’S husband was lucky to precede her, leaving her alone with her two daughters to mourn for CAPTAIN SENTHIL KUMAR – (SENA MEDAL-POSTHUMOUS). The captain fought bravely to eliminate 3 of the enemies and going for more damages to the enemies unmindful of the risk associated in that mission. But that was a contagious spirit to annihilate the opposition against all odds as many of his colleagues also sacrificed their precious life to drive the enemies from our sacred soil. At that moment none of them could think of their parents, wives and children. INDIAN ARMY may lack the latest and sophisticated implements like all proof bullet jacket, observation cameras in the pitch dark and so many ultra modern weapons. But they are unparalleled in the team spirit, courage, discipline and sense of sacrifice and well determined to fight with all limitations and odds. There were instances when they used to spend days and weeks with out food and water and always preferred to take loads of guns and bullets rather than food. INDIAN ARMY is an excellent example for national integration as all soldiers and officers move with perfect harmony with out the polarization on the basis of language, region or religion.

When CAPTAIN SENTHIL KUMAR’S body was brought to his house by the neatly uniformed soldiers belonging to different states and even religion it was a tribute to a MARTYR well executed by the body language of each and every officer and soldier that ignited the spontaneous respect by the whole public. When the specially made box with identification number IC 18057 was brought down from the army vehicle MEENAKSHI AMMA who was all along crying inconsolably became silent even in that grief that was mainly due to the silent marching of the soldiers in perfect rhythm and harmony. Though she was not much educated some how she believed that the correct tribute to her valiant son would be not to succumb to emotion, but to follow the decorum of the army. Even when the crowd were weeping and pitied her she stood in attention when the body was laid in the hall and made a perfect military salute to her dear son much to the bewilderment and astonishment of the surrounding public. She proved to the public that she was the BRAVE MOTHER of a TRUE SOLDIER. It appeared that her stoop had vanished momentarily and also making commands to her daughters not to disrespect a departed soldier by crying. Actually she was controlling all emotions by admiring the countless number of garlands with different flowers, colors and smell that were continuously offered by public and men in uniforms. Every officer was approaching the body covered with the national flag with perfect drill and carefully laying the garland that was a sight to watch. Even when there was pin drop silence soldiers were firing three bullets sky words when the typical trumpet was blown.

The brave MEENAKSHI AMMA was shivering mildly and her stomach that bore him in the womb was giving her a jolt. After the army formalities were over the national flag that was hither to adoring the great MARTYR was carefully removed and folded a few times to make it handy. The very act of folding itself was done in slow motion ably associated with well orchestral drill and delicately handed over to the mother just like a new born baby. The brave MEENAKSHI AMMA also received it with the same spirit of receiving a new born baby and also felt that the flag itself was her own son in infant form. She had already made up her mind to decorate the house by exhibiting the national flag along with her son’s photo in uniform at the appropriate place in her house. She had maintained her vow by making a special provision for these priceless possessions in the hall along with his SENA MEDAL and also BADGE OF HONOR and any visitor would automatically pay his respect as and when he enters. On her part MEENAKSHI AMMA would carefully clean the portrait and the framed flag twice a day religiously and also offer flowers and puja. The replica of the photos could be seen in her daughters’ house. In these ten years good many helpers had come and left. For readers less informed “helpers” are soldiers provided by the ARMY to the parents of a MARTYRED officer to assist them in their domestic chore through out their life time- extended as one of the tributes to the great soul that has been sacrificed for the cause of the nation. Actually she was not in need of them to do any work as she was managing all household works herself. But still she wanted those boys to visit her every day as she was developing emotional attachment to every one of them. All of them were having similar look like her son with military cut and well trimmed body. She was getting the satisfaction that she was treating her own son and hence her dosa preparation. Actually all those soldiers who are deputed for this assignment are well fed in the ARMY QUARTERS and never in need of food by this old lady. But as all of them had understood her mental condition they accept her hospitality with out any visible protest and indirectly paying tribute to the martyred son of MEENAKSHI AMMA. Some how she had developed emotional bondage to all of them and when they leave after their term there used to be lot of charged atmosphere and even those brave soldiers used to shed tears for her. That kind of treatment by this old lady was also filling the emotional vacuum for these boys in the context of separation from their own mother and they were absolutely comfortable with her. In these 10 years she had come across “sons” with diversified language, religion and state.

Each and every guy had a specialty and uniqueness typical of him. But there was absolutely no difference in the magnetic bondage of affection that she displayed in each and every one of them. Some of them were so much disturbed by this bondage that they would venture upon visiting her at their own expense even after they had been posted to different places with lots of fruits and flowers for her martyred son. If she hears any thing good about them like marriage, she was sending them blessings with presents and equally pitied about bad news about their families. Actually as days passed she was inviting trouble to her health by unnecessarily involving herself with the life of young men and their fortunes. There was nobody to advise her to restrain from creating emotional attachment with the life of soldiers and spoiling her own comfortable life. Even one of her daughter who happened to be the wife of an army officer couldn’t set her right. But for every problem solution comes of its own in different forms.

One day MEENAKSHI AMMA’S old time friend suggested accompanying her to a spiritual discourse on VEDANTA by a learned pundit. Actually the intention of her friend was to free her from the self inflicted bondage of affection to countless “sons” and consequently suffer the cruel impact at the parting of roads. Though AMMA was showing lot of courage at the time of ROYAL CREMATION of her son she was releasing all stored up anguish and agony in all these years by finding solace through “helpers”. She is very well aware that is also a false kind of satisfaction and amounted to cheating herself.

After the discourse MEENAKSHI AMMA approached the pundit and explained all her problems after losing her only son for the country and also her way of finding false satisfaction in treating the soldiers as her own sons. After a patient hearing that pundit advised her that the life is very much like a DROP OF WATER ON A LOTUS LEAF. It has no attachment with the surface of water and all the time ready to wander all over the leaf and even prepared to drop off from it with out showing attachment to any particular place. One has to understand that there is absolutely no certainty to any thing in our lives whether our material possession, life of ourselves and even that of our near and dear. We never brought anything with us and also distained to leave the world with out carrying anything. Try to cultivate the philosophy of not feeling undue attachment to our near and dear and that alone will help us recovering from the mental agony. After all what all is proposed by mankind is disposed off silently by HIM. So detachment of a DROPLET from the LOTUS LEAF even at the time of its existence on its surface is a good practical example to be emulated not only by MEENAKSHI AMMA but also others to survive from disasters and tragedies in life.

When that old lady returned home her helper JOSEPH was surprised by the unusual behavior of her in not showering him with usual affectionate words, but rather detached and businesslike. This time it was the turn of JOSEPH to feel the pinch of anguish as he had cultivated a bond with her, thanks to her motherly dealings in these 18 months. But it is sure that both of them would recover from that trend in due course and behave normally as it is expected of them.

BY J.PANCHAPAGESAN FLAT-11,130 GILL NAGAR EXTN STREET CHOOLAIMEDU CHENNAI PH-044 23744963 EMAIL id- jpanchapagesan@yahoo.co.in