The Day after!!

It was a long hectic journey..all I wanted to do was hit the heaven called madras and I literally tapassed for life to get back to normalcy. Relished the train journey as our travel neighbor was a very cute family of four with teeny kids..Playing and blinking at us occasionally with mischief in their eyes. Kids really do have the magic in them to bring a smile on yr face.

Bored and jobless for 7 odd hours..I started bugging my dad "appa .. tea venum" .... with an ushering smile he said he ll get my cup of tea @ maniachi!! 'maniachi?? Is the station called maniachi??' I bewildered.. dad went on.."Yeah it’s called vanchinathan maniachi..named after a pre independence freedom fighter called vanchinathan!!" oh!! I remarked..!! I only knew captain's vanchithan!! Lolz.. :D (Dont blame me..captain is the savior of tamilnadu..I have limited knowledge on history otherwise)

Appa went on with the story. His narration was understandably filled with gamut of emotions. His eyes sparkled with pride... maybe he was glad he had a story to tell his lil daughter of a brave tamilian. The narration had a poignant touch, loads of empathy, regret and finally disgust as appa compared him with today's politicians. Nevertheless this story needs to be shared!! I will not take much of anyone’s time & here goes appas version

'vanchinathan was a part of pre independence freedom movement and they had a plan to kill off a collector called Ashe (supposedly, presumably and understandably a brutal British big head). Vanchinathan was in the league of newly wed and yet the team decided the execution to be done by him. Without much hesitation at the age of 25, vanchinathan shot the collector when a train he travelled stopped by at maniachi and later committed suicide as he was surrounded by the escorts'!! appa went on 'Imagine..25, newly wed and yet gave his life for the nation. look at our politicians now and how they strip the nation’s wealth!!' he sighed!!

I later read some articles on him and these were vanchinathan's words. Words of power, of sacrifice and of selflessness..

"I dedicate my life as a small contribution to my motherland. I am alone responsible for this. 3000 youths of this brave country have taken an oath before mother Kali to send King George to hell once he sets his foot on our motherland. I will kill Ashe, whose arrival here is to celebrate the crowning of King George in this glorious land which was once ruled by great samrats. This I do to make them understand the fate of those who cherish the thought of enslaving this sacred land. I, as the youngest of them, wish to warn George by killing Ashe who is his sole representative and has destroyed the Swadeshi shipping company and several other freedom fighters by subjecting them to severe torture.

Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram!!"

The train stopped at maniachi.. appa choked & I knew why!! I dint want the tea now!!