Writing of a novel - What inspired me?

Thenews item: Zameen Devarkulam a tech-savvy village that appeared in The Hindunewspaper on 15th Dec, 2014 makes interesting reading.

The article proves again that where there is a will, there is a way.

Incidentally, I am compelled to write about writing of my novel: “WHAT IF OUR DREAMS COME TRUE! AN UNCOMMON DIALOGUE WITH LORD SIVA”

A few of the initial readers of my novel had commented that the novel was idealistic and a ‘feel-good’ book. Some had said it was filmatic. However, what I wrote in the novel was actually my dream too. As a stubborn commoner, a disciplinarian, an idealist, a perfectionist and generally someone who is in the wrong place most times, as I believed about myself, I had unique dreams. I detest many things that go around me, like many of you. I had always felt powerless in the face of many happenings around me, again like many of you. I had cursed myself for my helplessness and lack of courage to do something about what I see around me. All that I could do was to dream and put my dream into words in the form of a book.

I was inspired to write this book based on my memory about a news item that I read several years ago that a village in Tamil Nadu decided to manage its affairs on its own without looking for any support from the district or central administration.

Here is the broad synopsis of my book: WHAT IF OUR DREAMS COME TRUE! AN UNCOMMON MEETING WITH LORD SIVA

“It must be sometime around 1945. Poornam, a teenager and orphan, had some severe stomach pain and was in a local hospital. Medicines hadn’t relieved him from the pain. Lord Siva appeared before him in his dream and cured him instantly. HE also ordained Poornam to visit HIM in seven of his places.

Based on the advice of a local, village astrologer, Poornam set out to visit Siva temples along the banks of the river Tamirabarani, to pay obeisance to Lord Siva.

His first destination was Courtallam, a beautiful land of waterfalls along the river Chitharu, a tributary of Tamirabarani . There he was confronted by a Sadhu who lured him to his eclectic hideouts in the dark hills. Spending his initial seven years, chasing the ever-eluding Sadhu, Poornam received his enlightenment in a dark cave, after several traumatic experiences.

Armed with his enlightenment at a young age, his next destination was Papanasam, a renowned aboard of Lord Siva, where, in the hills the river Tamirabarani has its origins and where, as people believed, Lord Siva relieved people of the karmic effect of their past sins. The places around Papanasam had witnessed several floods in its history and several villages had been deluded when the river Tamirabarani was in spate flowing down the rough, sloppy terrains. Poornam felt that the area needed several check dams to prevent flooding and so that the water became available for the agriculture. A tumultuous period of seven years struggle followed before he could begin the construction of three check dams with money coming from people all over the country and from abroad.

His next destination was Brahmadesam, another aboard of Lord Siva, close-by. Here, Adhi, a great descendent of one of the Brahmins of 15^th century who had received a vast piece of land as a grant and endowment for a public purpose from one of the then Venad kings, awaited Poornam’s arrival. Over the centuries, the vast land had already been usurped by several people regardless of caste, creed, and religion. But Adhi had evidence that could prove beyond any doubt that he was the legal heir to those properties.  The final proof was dug under the ground in the temple of the place. Poornam and Adhi retrieved the proof. With the help of a Samaritan judge in the court, who relinquished his job to fight for Adhi, they fought a remarkable, legal battle to retrieve the land for its original purpose. The seven year legal case became a historic event for future usurpers of temple land and properties.

Poornam then went to Cheranmahadevi, Tiruppudaimaruthur, Sernthapoomangalam and finally, Srivaikuntam, all places along the river Tamirabarani and in each place, he had a unique struggle for something that touched everyone’s life, something we all dreamt about, but felt completely helpless about.

When Poornam was past his eighties, an international television channel decided to air his story for the world to know and he died watching himself on the television.”

To read the full story, you may have to buy the book for online reading from www.amazon.com. Please search for books by T.N.Neelakantan in Amazon and you will get all my books published through it.

My fourth book: “Lonely” is available in the print form through www.pothi.com