Alamu steadied herself to a
chorus of voices filling the air with soulful music. Instinctively
looking up to see what the squirrels would lead her to, she heard two
mellifluous voices joining the choir inside, heard from just above
her head. Puzzled and confused about squirrels singing so well, she
discovered that it was actually two beautiful young girls that got
down to enter the adjoining hall, to an arousing welcome by the
singing choir.
Picking up distinctly well tuned Tamburas, the duo
started to lead the choir to some more singing. Alamu could make out
that these were well practised songs from the finesse with which they
were being rendered. And as the voices came down, and the girls
started speaking, it became apparent that this was a group of music
aspirants, and the girls were going to teach something new today.
Tuning into the class again, she heard the children repeat after one
of the girls.
"Let us learn the final two lines of this
keerthanai today - Repeat after me --
Theli Neerin Nilai Kondu
Ketpom Unarvom,
Kali kondu Solluvom Seshanin
Daasanom."
The children sing-songed the
words, repeating twice, after which the other girl started to teach
them the tune of the said lines.
A few rounds of repetitions and
corrections later, as the children were about to sing, the older girl
gestured and asked - "Are you able to understand what these
lines imply?”
"'We should listen and grasp like clear waters?"
asked a child innocently. The girl smiled and said - "We are
asked to stabilse our minds such that the mind becomes as clear as
water" - much to the surprise of the children. And as all of
them began to practise the whole song, it all began to come together
in Alamu's mind.
Not able to contain herself, and about to jump into
the scene, Alamu found that the chorus had come to an end, and the
girls were explaining something. “Isn't it a wonderful metaphor
that Guru mama has taught us? That, by keeping our minds steady and
calm, it becomes as clear as water?” - “Yes akka, this is a very
unique expression!!” answered one of the kids. As the other kids
nodded in agreement, the said akka continued - “ Indeed. Guru mama
directs us to learn to control and direct our thoughts, by which the
mind becomes calm and composed. And with a calm mind, one can
overcome any and every kind of situation in life. A clear mind, like
clear water, is of much greater use than a confused mind, like
muddled water”.
The whole group was silent for a few minutes
grasping the gravity of such a metaphor in the backdrop of the
Tambura's drone, when 'Akka' spoke again - “While this is such a
inspiring and interesting thought, can you imagine this metaphor
being used in reverse?” --- While all the children were intrigued
by this question, Alamu had divined where this explanation was
heading. This was her “eureka” moment, and all the puzzling
questions in her mind about this strange odyssey so far began to fit
into place in her mind
--- “While today, we are
being directed to emulate clean waters, can you imagine a time when
clear waters were compared to the minds of people. There was a time
when there were such noble and good natured people, that their minds
were so calm and clear, that Rishi Valmiki compared the clear water of
the River Thones to such people's minds? And how clean the environment and the
rivers would have been then, and how great the people would have been
that a river’s clean waters reminded him of good noble men and
their minds? So much so, that it inspired him to settle down on the
banks of that river so that he could pen the story of Ramayana!!” ”
concluded ‘Akka’.
Somehow Alamu was growing
fond of this ‘Akka’ :)
The children beamed with the
element of wonder and the surprise of such a thought. Alamu was as
speechless as them. Not only had she learnt a new song from those
two “Akka”s today, but also, she had time travelled with them to
the era of Rishi Valmiki!! That too on a tree! And accompanied by
speaking squirrels, that transformed into two beautiful girls who
sang as beautifully. Weighed down by so many thoughts, she rested
her head on the wall from which she was peeping in, closing her eyes
to let all of it to sink in. She was also trying to recollect where
exactly she was right now, when the whole world seemed to shake
violently and her head hit something very hard! There was loud noise
and commotion. Opening her eyes to see if it was the children
leaving from class, she was startled to see her mother calling out to
her. Looking around, utterly confused, the damp cold grass under her
feet reminded her that yet another journey into her wonderland had
just ended. She followed her mother back to the house, with a
chuckle on her face and mouthing to herself, “Wow, Just Wow!”
