Sukumaran was sleeping in his berth in 2nd AC. It was 09:15 pm and it was only in the next morning that he will reach his destination.
Sukumaran was an Area Manager in a reputed pharmaceuticals firm. He had been doing well in his career in the past and his growth had been good. From a pharma salesman to Area Manager he was able to reach in just 8 years. But in the last six months his performance was far from satisfactory. In fact it was poor. He could not provide any sales figures of significance to his bosses in Mumbai. He was tortured by domestic situations and conditions in his office.
His wife Radha was a socialite. She would throw kitty parties at their home. She would also spend quite a lot of money on beauty parlours. Sukumaran felt that his wife was possibly cheating on him and was having an affair with another man. He saw her and the man together on two or three occasions in public. Sukumaran felt that his wife Radha was scheming to get rid of him.
Sukumaran's brother Ravikumaran was a businessman. Ravikumaran was shrewd and very money-minded. Quite recently the father of the two had died without writing a will. Sukumaran suspected that Ravikumaran might kill him to get his share of money.
Sukumaran's sister Nivedita was a professional model. She was extremely attractive and was doing well in her career. Sukumaran hated her modelling career and on many occasions he had out-rightly told his sister so. Nivedita could not take his illogical criticism and had told Sukumaran that she wished he died. Sukumaran suspected Nivedita would actually kill him.
In the last six months at his office, he was mentally affected by his domestic scene. Moreover, there was a physical fight with the Area Manager of a rival pharmaceutical firm. The rival pharma man had come to visit Sukumaran for an agreement in market share. Sukumaran had no interest in sharing his market area. There was a loud fight and the rival pharma man gave physical blows to Sukumaran.
Sukumaran was currently on tour to meet his juniors over sales conference. He was in the train thinking about his wife, brother, sister and his rival. He was tormented with his thoughts. He did not like anything in the world. He hated the train for going slow. He hated the AC in the coach for being ineffective. He hated the food for being cold. He just could not bear anything.
Suddenly the train stopped. Possibly for signal. It was not a regular stop of the train. Sukumaran looked out of his window and could just read the name of the village in the concrete board. It was Ottankadu. It was dark everywhere and he could read the name from the moonlight.
Sukumaran decided to get down here and become a monk. His feeling for this was strong and intense. He had no interest in leading a life like this. His own wife, brother and sister were scheming his death, he thought; And the enmity with the Area Manager of rival pharma company was also high. Moreover he had nothing to show to his bosses in Mumbai. He was feeling miserable.
Sukumaran thought of leaving all his luggage in the train and decided to get down at Ottankadu and achieve nirvana by becoming a monk.
He left his compartment and moved towards the door of the coach. He unlocked the door and tried to take a step outside. Suddenly he heard the clinging of glass with metal. It was the medicine bottle kept in his pant pocket striking the metal door.
Then he remembered. He was suffering from paranoia. He had visited a doctor of psychiatry and was under medication for paranoia.
He concluded that he will not become a monk. He will continue with his life and face challenges.
The forest Goddess of Ottankadu had saved him !!
