Terrible tiger

Once upon a time there a thick forest in India.All the animals were living peacefully and happily.The forest had rabbits,hippos,rhinos,Giraffes,Horses,Zebra,Wild Buffaloes, Deers, Birds and an elephant.
The Elephant had bid good bye to his friends as he had to go visit his old friends in another forest.He said he will be back after a month and all the other animals had waved him good bye.
Suddenly a terrible tiger came out of nowhere and claimed now that he is the King of this piece of forest.He started scaring the other animals.He said they all had to get him food everyday and if they don't he will start hunting them one by one and start eating them.
The animals were very scared and they started giving them the food they had stored earlier.But day by day the tiger was becoming more difficult to manage.He started shouting at the animals and scaring them more than before.
All the animals wanted to put an end to this.They did not know how to do that.Then a Giraffe suggested that they should go to the tortoise who is the oldest in the forest and was very wise.They all secretly went to meet him in the night.The animals went and told everything to tortoise.Tortoise said that only if they can get the elephant to the forest they can get rid of the tiger menace.They all agreed.But how could they find the elephant?
Then rabbit suggested that they send the Giraffe to find the elephant as she is very tall.She can look from a height a long distance the rabbit said.She could follow the foot print of the elephant and finally find him. Tortoise said though it was a very good suggestion it will take more time to find that way.Then one of the deer suggested that Eagle would be a better option.Tortoise told with his eyes wide "Yes.Eagle is a brilliant suggestion".He can fly at a very high altitude and has a very good eye sight and see things clearly even from very high altitude.He can also cover long distance very quickly.
They called the eagle and told him the plan.Eagle readily accepted to help the fellow animals.He set out on a flight to search the elephant.He rose above and quickly looked at the footprint of the elephant.Due to the height at which he was flying he could clearly look up the direction in which elephant had gone and went to the Elephant and told him about everything and he was angry at the tiger and told the eagle he will start immediately. Eagle told he will bring further instruction after  meeting with tortoise.Eagle flew back to tortoise and told him that luckily the Elephant was in a place which was only 2 days away and he has started already.Tortoise gave an instruction to eagle and asked him to pass it to the Elephant.
Tortoise called the animals.The animals came and told him that tiger has become more terrible and is asking for more food.Tortoise told the animals the plan and they all became happy when they heard it.They all went back.Tiger as usual growled and asked them to bring more food.The rabbit walked up to him and told that "Oh Tiger King! You deserve a royal feast.We are expecting our elephant which had gone for a vacation to come back.He is very big.You can have him".
Tiger said "Very well then.I will have the elephant then.Bring him to me"Rabbit replied "Öh Tiger King! He will come exactly on the third day morning and you will have to wait till then"
Tiger shouted at him"2 days.What do i do?Bring me something to eat".Horse told that "Oh Tiger King! You have to be very very hungry when the elephant comes.Only then you can have more.Dont you think?". Tiger started thinking.Horse said "Till then we can have fun and celebration to keep you engaged.We will give you some soup so that you develop a strong hunger.You will even forget the hunger as the performance from our friends will be so wonderful". Tiger agreed.
Celebrations started and tiger started enjoying and he was being fed a soup.Meanwhile the other animals had gathered a lot of special fruits for the elephant so that he could have it all and be very strong when he faces the tiger.Elephant reached and had all the special fruits and felt very strong.
Finally on the 3rd day morning they told the tiger "Oh Tiger King! We have the elephant and we have caught him and kept in a place.We want to gift you.Please come with us". Tiger happily said Öh Yes.Oh Yes".When he went there the elephant was held by four wild buffaloes.But they were just acting.When the tiger went near and said "Ahh. Elephant you area going to be my feast today".Elephant said "These are my friends.You did terrible things to them.I am going to make you run".Tiger understood he has been smartly tricked.He tried to attack and then realized that he was weak as he has been having only soups for last 2 days.Tiger knew he had been completely outsmarted.He tried to run but the animals had formed a ring to prevent him from escaping.The elephant caught him by the tail and slammed him to the ground many times.Then tiger started pleading "Please let me go".Tortoise said " Elephant!Let him go.I think he has learned a lesson"

The tiger ran away and was never seen again in their forest.All the animals lived happily and peacefully.

Moral of the story "Dont bully anyone.If some one bullies then all should unite and teach a lesson to the bully so that he does not do it to anyone again.Unity is strength"

Nithila - Amul Choco spread

Nithila's mom brought home a Amul Choco spread while purchasing groceries.Needless to say that anything with Chocolate makes the kids go gaah gaah. But we forgot to get bread.For the next 3 days Nithila would ask me if had bought bread.I am more like an absent minded professor when it comes to these things.
Finally we bought bread. Nithila was super excited."Appa i want Amul Choco spread on the bread"she kept saying."Ütterly butterly gilicious Amul" she would keep singing.Even though i tried to correct her that it is "Utterly butterly delicious . Amul", She would just ignore me and continue singing the way she knows.
Then i proudly say trying to show off my skills "I would make you bread and choco spread sandwich".Nithila goes "Yeah.Yummy.Can you make me in the shapes of Alphabets???".My  ego just a while ago inflated got burst.I did not see that coming."Nithila! Can i make something else??"On second though Nithila says Äppa! Can you make me sandwich like Shapes. Circle,Triangle,Square??". Wow that's a reasonable challenge to my creativity I say to myself "Yeah Nithila. Appa can make that for you"".While i was doing this she would just sneak and put her finger on the spread and lick and say "Yummy".First time i ignored.Next time i smiled and said no.Third time,holding her gently i said "Nithila! Appa is making this only for you.And you can have all that you want.But it is not right to put your fingers in the choco spread.That is not right as others will not like it".She listened to me and said pretending to be remorseful "Sorry appa.I won't do it again"
I said "It's OK Nithila.As long as you don't do it again".
Then i started making sandwich again and when i casually looked what Nithila was up to i saw that funny sight.This time Nithila was licking the choco spread using her tongue.
I only asked her not to put her finger in the spread.I never told her not to lick directly using tongue. Isn't it? Technically speaking, i had not explained her properly."
We both had a good laugh.

Nithila and Appa - Car Alarm

Nithila,Appa and Amma go in a car to the neighborhood park to play.
They park the car and get inside the park. Nithila is excited and spends the next 45 minutes playing.
They are done playing and go to the small vegetable and fruit stall and buy for the week.
With the bags full Appa tries to put in the boot.By mistake Appa opens the boot without using the remote to open and the alarm goes off "Wee Wee Wee Wee".Then Appa manages to stop the alarm.

They return back home and Appa is opening the trunk and removing the bags.Little Nithila is watching her Appa do all this but carefully so that by mistake alarm does not go off.When he explains Nithila asks why the car goes "Wee Wee Wee Wee".Appa replies "Kutty.It is to prevent the thieves from stealing our car.If they try to steal out car then the car will go Wee Wee Wee and we can come and catch the thief ". She again asks why do we need to do that.Appa replies "If we dont do that then we will have no car.Then how can we go to other places??". "In the bike"pat came the reply from Little Nithila. Appa and Amma had a hearty laugh while Nithila looked puzzled.

Nithila and Appa - Helmet starts the bike

My father took  my car as he had to go to another city.
So i had to take my kid Nithila in Bike to school.She also loves to ride with me in bike.
First day i tried to start the bike.Since my bike had been lying unused for long time the battery was not powerful enough.(My bike has a Electric Fuel Injection Pump- SO battery power is needed even if you have to kick start).After 4 or 5 attempts it still doesn't start.Finally i realise;put the choke and then it starts.My daughter was keenly watching all that was going on in my attempt to get the bike started.

Second day since I had learnt the lesson i started the bike applying the choke straightaway.It starts on 2nd attempt.
My kid smiles at me and said "Oh OK! so if you wear a helmet it starts immediately".I was puzzled for a while because i really could not make what she just told.
Then i asked her again "what are you saying kutti?".She calmly said "Appa. You wore helmet today.It started immediately.Yesterday you did not wear a helmet so it took sometime.So from now on wear helmet ok".
I just could not stop adoring the innocence.
Just reminded me of the famous comedy scene in a tamil movie wher Ajith;the hero  pulls the leg of a auto driver in the attempt to get his vehicle started.

Time has come

                                                              TIME HAS COME

It was getting late enough to be worried. I once again stepped into the balcony and looked down. Except for a drenched street dog that was lying down miserably near the gate, there was not a soul to be seen anywhere. Rain water had puddled under the lamp post. A breeze ruffled the mango tree in the courtyard and a few twigs fell down and broke. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Did I hear a soft knock at the door? I turned back. I craned my neck to see if indeed someone knocked the door. Waiting for someone eagerly does create hallucinations. I wanted to be sure and did not want to risk. I was just hallucinating. Why would he want to help me? Is it a trap? Why did he chose such a place? Rumour has it that the family that lived in this house consumed poison and committed suicide. People believed that this place is haunted and it has never been occupied ever since. It was a two story house in the middle of big square plot completely surrounded by huge trees. It had different varieties of trees but the number of mango trees outnumbered the rest. With no one to take care, the place looked eerie. It was dark and the only light was the one coming from the half moon. Many people do not realise that the eyes can get used to darkness after a while. It was not very clear but at the same it was not completely dark either.

The person who asked me to come is definitely smart. Though it was a residential area, this house was at the dead end and people had no reason to come this place. His instructions were very clear. I had to come alone and I should leave the vehicle away from the house and reach the house without anybody’s knowledge. He has asked me to come at 10.30 p.m. as no one would be awake at that time. But now it was well past midnight. I am used to eerie places but every minute of delay was making me nervous. What he said over the phone kept ringing in my ears. “I have what you want” he said over the phone. I was just hoping that what he said was indeed true. I was in the middle of a dangerous game. One slip and I could be finished. I have always had the belief that the truth surfaces no matter what but more often people dig a grave and bury it. People have so much greed and expectation that there is always a price for the morally weak and corrupt. But I have always been the other kind. The ones who are far too less to find but do exist nevertheless. And I prided myself for being such a person. He was very particular that I come alone. Obviously he did not trust anyone else. Even if he had not mentioned that I still would have come alone. Being honest is like being a mutant that they show in X- Men movie. We all look the same but there are very few of us. In my profession being honest automatically makes one a prey for the traitors.

After being lost in thoughts the sudden sound of the bark brings me back to the present. Should be the stray dog at the entrance gate. Probably he is here I think. I peep out from the balcony. I could not see anyone. Another instance of getting duped by hallucination. “Sir” the voice shocks me. He is there right in front of me. “Sorry Sir. I had to make sure no one else was there” he says. I could understand his fear. “What is that you have?” I ask him very sternly. And as an after though , I add “Who are you?”. “Sir. I am Nithilan, a student of journalism. I have something that will be very helpful to you in the case that you are investigating”.  “Nithilan! Let me ask you something. The way you were careful in choosing the place and the time, it shows that you are indeed aware of the perils of getting involved in this case. So why would you want to help in a high profile case like this?” I ask him intently looking at his face keen on reading his body language as well.  “Vetri Sir. I am a journalism student but my aim is to get into Civil services and become an IPS officer like you. And Mr.Anbu Sezhian IAS whose suicide case that you are handling was a mentor to many of the aspirants including me. He used to regularly visit the Govt Study Circle for IAS aspirants to give pep talks where I am preparing right now ” he paused to see if I was listening. I nod my head and gestured my hand. He understood and continued “In fact I was collecting information for him about various Granite companies that are into rampant illegal mining and causing loss to the exchequer. I just used a pretext of doing article on the employment generated by Granite companies for my college assignment to avoid the suspicion. For some reason he found me more trustworthy and he gave me a C.D. that is password protected. And he specifically asked me to hand it over to you if something should happen to him. And he also asked me to tell you this sentence"Time has come and the mystery will be unravelled”. I thanked him and left the place.

I came back home and was trying hard to figure out the password. I can get this opened up by experts for sure but I cannot afford to do that given the situation. I was angry on my inability to figure out the password. I had to solve the mystery because I too had my own connection with the deceased Mr.Anbu Sezhian IAS. My thoughts drifted and into the past.12 years back to be precise. Anbu and myself came from a humble rural background and we met each other in the Government Center which trained aspirants for Civil Services Examination coming from disadvantaged sections. He was senior to me by 2 years and a great mentor. I was very keen on becoming an IPS officer while he wanted to only become an IAS officer. We both were determined to do well because of the humiliation we had faced as commoners and we wanted to be different when got into position of authority. He got selected 2 years before me and I was very happy for him. Both of us were honest officers and as result we were transferred from one place to another and it was by chance that we got posted to the same place. He had an amazing memory which was unbelievable. He could clearly narrate the incidents that happened in his childhood. He could recite the couplets of Thirukural if somebody just mentioned the number of the couplet. I was getting frustrated that I could not crack the password because he left me a clue and obviously for that I have to remember the past and that would be key for me to figure out the password. “Time has come and the mystery will be unravelled” I slowly repeat to myself. Then a sudden flash and my eyes lit up. I picked up the laptop and quickly keyed in the letters ‘M-A-N-D-R-A-K-E ‘into the system and the password was accepted. No wonder. It was the title of the short story he penned for a contest in a magazine and Mandrake was the character that utters the dialogue. Never in my dreams did I think that one day the same words will apply to the mystery of his own murder.

It had 2 video clips and a huge 1500 page document in PDF version. Knowing very well the kind of person Anbu was, I was very certain that he would have done a thorough investigation. I opened the first clip. The visuals were recorded in the point of view of the user of the camera. It had to be a spy cam that Anbu used without the knowledge of anyone else. It showed Charles, M.D of the Best Granites initially trying to be friendly and gradually losing his cool and trying to threaten Anbu over the irregularities of Granite scam. Later on he is being pulled away by the people who accompanied him. The place looks familiar. It is the same traveller’s bungalow where Anbu purportedly committed suicide. The second video has Anbu himself talking towards the camera telling “Though finding irregularities has never been a new thing this time it is different here. If at all something happens to me then Charles would be responsible for my death”.

Next day afternoon I complete all the formalities to make the arrest based on the evidence available. Armed with the warrant I arrest Charles amidst all the drama. Condescendingly Charles mocks at me saying that he will be out in time. I go near him   “Charles! You are probably right. But you never know. Anything can happen. Life is full of uncertainties”. Charles starts clutching the chest and signalling that he is having a heart attack. Before even we try to call the ambulance we could hear an ambulance siren. Paramedics quickly put Charles in a stretcher and rush up to the Ambulance. While all this is happening I could see the Lawyer representing Charles smile at me. I smile back at him and he is puzzled. He thinks everything is happening according to his plan. Influential persons when arrested feigning a heart attack is not new. But this time the only difference is the heart attack is real. How do I know that? It was my handiwork. Thanks to the forensic expert who agreed to help me.Truth is he never had any other choice after I gently reminded him that it was not possible to make a murder look a suicide unless they had the support of the forensic experts.

Time did come for Charles but the mystery won’t be solved. Farewell Anbu! See you in the next world.

Happy father's day

This father's day was special for me.
Let me tell you why.I had woken up earlier.My little daughter was to about to get up and my wife went and taught her that it is father's day and she should act like she is sleeping and when I come to wake her up she would scare and then later wish me.
As per plan i went and  she initially scared me.But the cutest part is she would tell "Happy father's day" in a hush hush tone as if it was a secret.And the funny thing this would happen across the day every hour or 2.She would come and tell 'Happy father's day'in a hush hush tone cutely and she would start playing again.
I did not understand why she was wishing every other hour.Finally my wife broke the secret.She had told her if she wished me i would buy her a gift.So in the evening when we were planning to go out, she asked Appa i have wished you many times would you buy me a gift.lol.

Hide and Seek

It's just one of those weekends and i am as usual lazing around with my smartphone and going through the myriad posts without any reason.

My 3 year old daughter watches me for some time.Probably she was waiting to get my attention and when she knew that it's not going to happen,she comes to me.She makes that angry face with her hands in hip tells me "Don't use the phone all the time.Its not good for you".She's using my own weapon against me.Ha.Kids these days i think to myself.
Then i ask her "What should i do now??"genuinely asking for a suggestion .
She has her finger on her chin implying that she is seriously thinking.Man.Kids these days are born actors.
Her eyes brighten "Let's play hide and seek".I say "OK.Lets do that".

First the rules are different.
Here is how it goes??
Scenario 1
When I have to hide.
She tells before hand where I have to hide.Then i have to hide exactly there so that she can come and find me.And i have to be shocked that she found me.
Scenario 2
When she has 2 hide
She will hide in some place really difficult for me to find.Like the one in this picture for example.The next favorite for her is she will just cover herself in the blanket while sitting in the bed.

Now you have probably less than 2 seconds for you to act like you are searching because immediately she will shout 'I am here'

If there is one thing that is so cute is the innocence of the little kids.
Their world is so beautiful and it's so wonderful to be a part of that world.