Rajasekharan, Kochappan , and I.

'' If I learned about aspects professional from Mr.Kulkarni, Mr.Rajasekharan's lessons were about meeting challenges, facing them, and about finer aspects of life like literature, music etc.''

'' You are lucky to have had such people in life'' Kochappan commented; probably with a sense of loss. If Lehman bros, and Morgan Stanley can go on loss , why not Kochappan?. I thought.

'' Music and literature. That's interesting. What did he teach you?'' Kochapps was curious because he had an intense passion for learning classical music.

'' I used to learn the meaning of the words of Thiagaraja and other Keerthanas which helped me to bring 'Bhava' to the songs well .... '' I couldn't complete because Kochapps interrupted.

''Which keerthana's meaning?'' he was eager.

'' All of us have been hearing 'Vathapi gana pathim bhaje' for years together. How many of us know the meaning of it. It's Rajasekharan who taught me the meaning. He told me . '' You are addressing Lord Ganapathi in that keerthana.When you say 'Vaa' the singer is invoking him to come; for his presence. 'Thaa' means shower me with your blessing. Up to this probably others would have explained but nobody would have told you about 'Pi ganapathi'.

'' That is true. what does 'Pi Ganapathi' mean'' Kochappan asked earnestly.

'' Ganapathi is the son of Lord Parameswara. So 'Pi' in ' Pi Ganapathi' stands for Ganapathi's initials ; Parameswaran ganapathi. Has anybody given you such valuable information. Only Raj is capable doing it''.

I still don't know what struck him, but before I could reach him Kochappan went down from the chair to the floor with a big 'Thud' sound.

This happened on the day of the terrorist attack in Mumbai. He opened his eyes today;ten days after the fall.

His wife and others think that he went down from his chair after seeing the gory scenes in Mumbai on TV. I did not tell any body that his going down like piece of teak wood chopped down was after hearing Rajasekharan's explanation about the 'P ganapathi'. They might also get struck by Raj's profound knowledge of music and literature and go down. I didn't want one whole family getting affected. I kept mum.

I have not gone to see Kochappan yet; if he sees me he might go down again reminded of pi.Ganapathi !