From: sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil
Subject: PirivOm, SanthippOm - episode 1
Date: 1 Sep 1992 21:32:03 -0500
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

 [ Posted for Krishna Raj ]

 From : M.P. Krishna Raj
 E-mail : raj@cs.odu.edu
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                              Introduction
Hero : Raghupathi

His father : appa (Govinda Raj)

Heroines: Madhumitha,Mary Emerson .......

Gopinath : Madhumita's father

villain : Radakishan(Radha Krishnan)
Jayanthi: Female cook in Raghu' home (also works in Madhumitas' home) 


Synopsis of Part I which I don't have with me.


Raghupathi, after finishing his B.E returns to  his father who is working as
PWD engineer in Papanasam . Gopinath is the project manager whose
beautiful daughter is Madhumitha. One day, the electronic gadget used
for measurements at the project creates some problem and Raghu rectifies
that. So Gopinath is very much impressed about Raghu and talks at his
home about alliance with Ragu. Jayanthi overhears this and tells it
Raghu. Then Gopinaths introduce Raghu to their daughter. Raghu and
Madhu  starts to date(tamil nadu level dating) and parents arrange
betrothal ceremony. Here comes the villain. Rada who is an U.S.
resident visits Gopinath and marriage talk between Raghu and Madhu is getting
canceled due to this. Marriage takes place between Rada and Madhu ,because
Gopinaths prefer U.S guy rather than a j.e(jobless engineer).
Raghu attempts suicide from Papanasam falls, because he is unable to
bear this tragedy.Madhumita is in U.S.A ,and  Raghu  is recovering 
from the trauma.  


>From here second part starts. I will serialize as it came in Anantha Vikatan



-------------------------------------------------------------


                      EPISODE  1 (Complete)
                                    

                  PRIVOM ..............SANTHIPOM

Raghu ,Appa ,Jayanthi and her kid are at Meenam Pakkam airport to
send off Raghu to America.


Raghu saw his father shedding tears for the first time.

" Appa, are you so sentimental?"

"I have some apprehensions .Raghu"

"For what?. You only made me apply and was keen that I
should go to America."

"That's right. Raghu. Do you know why are you going to America"

"to study"

" Not only that. You should return after completion. That is what is
important for me. (you) Should return"

"Appa, where will I go instead of coming back"

"America is a wonderland. It will make one forget their folks"

"I am not that kind of a guy. Why do you worry about that I will stay there.
How it is possible?. Afterall, I am going in student visa. They
will drive me back after the course is over."

"No Raghu. There are so many ways to stay on in that country."

"Tell me one ."

"I won't. I want you back". Father wiped tear drops with a kerchief.
"Sometimes we behave ourselves as in Tamil cinema in real life."

"Appa. Tell me. What you want from America ?"

"You !. Jayanthi. May I ask him to send something from America
for you"

"Some thing like rice cooker!.

" Raghu. Come with me for a moment"

Those who became flight travellers by Chance,are sweating and swerving 
like routine flight travellers. 

"You should promise me"

" I should not try to meet Madhumita there. That is what you want."

Father shocked little bit. "That was clever. You understood me
very well. I am happy for that."

" Those love stories are over long time ago. If I recollect that now 
after one year , my feeling is I am a dumbest fool. I tried to
commit suicide after all for a female.......!. I don't care where the
hell,she is !

Speakers addressed those who are going to Bombay for security check.

"You can go then... Write letters. Keep that telephone number safely.
Passport,Traveler's check..."


"Appa!. You are great. Raghu held his father's hand.

"Its. O.K. That's all right". Father smiled.


"You have stabilized me .Advised me. (You) induced me to go America.
(you) Gathered money for travel.(You) purchased flight ticket.....
How am I going to repay this !"

"Now you have become sentimental !. Have a nice trip. Speak English
slowly in America."

Raghu wanted to kiss his father. He formally waved his hand.
He felt that his father will be gazing the plane from the Gallery.
Sadness befell on him. Uncertainity of future gripped him as fear.
This is his first air travel. The large Airbus made him shaky. He struggled
with seat belt. He hesitated even to use the cotton given by the
hostess.Through the oval window it appeared to him that 
Madras City and his father were parting from him forever and 
sliding away. From this moment he felt that he is jettisoned.
Raghu who didn't go very much north of Madras, suddenly attired
in suit is flying to America.  

At Bombay Sagar, Raghu transferred to Air France plane. He felt this
plane much bigger than the previous one and it appeared to him as 
spacious as a Marriage Hall. Speakers talk french inside the plane.
Tall hostesses walked here and there wearing check shirts.


Raghu was not ready for this grandeur. Eighteen hour travel without
discernible day and night. Flight might have landed in Paris! . At some time,
somebody woke him up  and smiled "Here is your vegetarian meal" and
gave him leaves and shrubs in plastic. He even forgot the day.
A movie was projected on a small screen. Raghu was watching that as a
silent movie with french subtitles ,not knowing to ask for headphone.
That was also a love story. The married woman who moved into the
opposite house was the hero's previous love. "Love.Hmm...I behaved like a
kid! Cried and cried and attempted amateur suicide for Madhumita. 
Madhumita?...Who is she?....


As 747 is gliding slowly to land in JFK , he is able to see New York
city dazzling . With the further lowering of the altitude , he could
perceive that the luminous pythons are cars and cars, and star heaps
are megawatt electric eyes of the city.

There was a slight jolt, when the plane touched the run way. Airport
is soaked in Amber flood. Vehicles were roaming with sparkles on their
head . Plane ride like a chariot and approched concrete quagmire. A 
machine  arm embraced the plane and Raghu walked out with 'Papanasam
A.V.Store bag on his shoulder and passpost,ticket and related papers
all over his body. He was tired and hungry eating shrubs;
unshaven face and exhausted. 

Watch was showing haphazard time. Escalator . What it is? .. Walk way?.
He hesitated to put his leg on that. He was unable to decide which way
to go and moved in the direction of his fellow passengers. One black
officer asked for passport. Raghu could not understand his english.
Officer could not understand Raghu's and sealed it. Raghu did not know
where to go. He walked keeping arrows as his witness. It is fit to
say that he was walked.

America's first glass door opened by itself for Raghu. Here it was a
big hall. In that , his dirty suitcase was crawling on the back of
rubber snake. Raghu , caught that and readied for America. "First I must
try the phone number ,Appa gave".

He saw nearby, people sitting on short stools and talking with zeal. He
decided to try it. The number made shaky 212 987 9254.It was Strikingly
long for him. He picked a phone like bridegroom in the first night. There
was a big history written on its face. He took some coin from his pocket and
deposited and pressed the numbers without confidence.

He heard a response saying,"Please insert 25 cents"

Raghu replied "Miss, I think I have inserted 25 cents"

He again heard " Please insert 25 cents"

He replied again," I think  that coin  appeared to be 25 cents"


He one again heard ,"Please insert 25 cents". After a moment
he heard a click sound and then " Good Evening....Are you in
trouble "

" Some lady told me  to insert 25 cents ....".

" That is not a female, that is a  recorded message from the computer.
You have deposited 10 cents. Here I am returning it" .Telephone
spitted the coin back."Now try with 25 cents".

"Thanks, You too a compu..?.

"No......I am human being...."other end burst into laughter.


Raghu searched his coat pocket and selected the coin and inserted
that into the slot and again pressed the number.


After few rings he heard , "Hello" from the other end.


"My name is Raghupathi. I am the son of one Mr.Govinda raj, of
Pavanasam in Tinnevaly district of TamilNadu.India..."


"Raj magana Nee! Tamilla pesAn. Ethukku kashtapattu engUr English
pesare?"

(Oh!. You are son of Raj. Speak in Tamil. Why you are troubling
yourself with our English)

Raghupathi liked that person without even seeing him.
"Sir, Romba thanks Sir!. Unga Oor romba kulzappama irukkuthu !
Vanda odane Computer athattuthu."

(Thank you very much sir!. I am getting confused here. Even
computer chides me)

" Where are you?"

" At the airport"

" JFK "

" May be, Sir"
 

" You would have come to JFK. Which Terminal"

" The terminal in which they are checking immigration.
There is hall outside"

"This much particular is not enough. Here everything is large.
There are so many terminals in JFK. What is your flight?"

"Air France"

"Be there. Don't go around. I will pick you up"

" I don't want to trouble you. I will come by Taxi"

" Taxi!. You may have to title your property to them. I am just
45 miles away from you. No formalities please."

"45 miles"

" 45 miles is just a short distance here. Be there . I
will come. Have you taken  any food"

"Vegetarian meals"

" You are dead. They would have served you shrubs. OK.
I will prepare curd rice for you"

"OK Sir. May I keep the phone down"


"How can I identify you, if you don't tell me.
Tell me something nearby for locating you."

"There is a board saying 'Hertz Rent A Car'"


"That is enough. A tired Indian youth near Hertz Rent A Car desk."

Raghu replaced the receiver with a smile. America is not threatening
him now.
                                  (thodarum)

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