Ellarum Beppekku casting venumnu ketinge so kashtapattu oru porundhura madhiri moonje kandupudichiten. 🥳

Alex Belli as Giuseppe Bianchi

Une Fois Tous Les Douze Ans (Once Every Twelve Years)

****

(Madhikettan Solai)

It was a hard rainy night, resulting in complete darkness in the deep forest. Lightnings would occasionally produce dazzling flashes that would quickly go away and be replaced by darkness. But there was a faint flaming light travelling through the dense foliage. A person was travelling through the forest with a flame lamp and a leaf-made parasol.

Soon, the man arrived at a location in the forest where a shrine with a meter-tall black stone figure stood. That place was entirely dark, with the only source of light being the burning lamp that the man was holding.

🧔‍♂️: Vaa Chenguttuva, unakkagadhen kathukedakken.

A man that seemed like an Aghori emerged from the dark, thick jungle, thoroughly soaked in rain.

Sen: Vanakkam Kapalikare. 😐🙏

Kap: Vaa inniki nelamai epdi irukkunu paarpom. Kotravaiye kumbidu modha.

They both knelt in front of the idol and prayed for a few moments. Kapalikan took a white cloth and put it on the ground in front of the idol.

Kap: Chenguttuva inguttu okkaru.

Senguttuva and Kapalikan sat on both sides of the cloth.

Kap: Chollu, ennachi?

Sen: Therile Kapalikare, konja naala manasule ennamo thappave thonudhu. Edho oru kettadhu indha oorukku nadakkapodhunu thonudhu. Namma oor theeyile eriyira madhiri kanavellam varudhu. 😐

Kap: Hmm, namma oore kaaval chaami Kotravaiye manasule vendikko.

Sen: 😌🙏

Kapalikan shut his eyes and meditated for a bit and took out a handful cowrie shells (sozhi/kavadi), and dropped them across the white cloth.

Sen: 🙄

Kapalikan examined the scattered cowrie shells for a long time before moving them with his fingers.

Sen: Enna theriyudhu Kapalikare? 🙄

Kap: Nee chandhegapatadhu unmaidhen. Namma oorukku oru periya aabathu varapogudhu.

Sen: 😳

Kap: Unakku vandha kanavu ellam Uchappanum Uchanaitha Ammaiyarum unakku kudukkura echarikkaidhen. Namma oore needhen kaaval kaakonam. Unakku thunaiya Kotravai varuva.

Sen: 😳

Kap: Adhanale nee kavalaipadadhe.

Sen: Epdi Kapalikare kavalaipadama irukka mudiyum? Ellam ennaiya nambidhene irukkaga. 😟

Kapalikan picked a cowrie shell and placed it in front of Senguttuvan.

Sen: 🙄

Kap: Uchanaitha Ammaiyar varuvaa.

He picked another cowrie shell and placed it alongside the first one.

Kap: Uchappanum ava pinnadiye varuvaan.

Sen: 🙄

He added a third beside the two.

Kap: Koodave namma chaami Kotravai nippa.

Six additional shells were moved close to the three.

Kap: Aran madhiri kaavalkaaranunga koodave varuvaanunga.

Sen: 🙄

Kapalikan pushed away the rest of the shells.

Kap: Indha kaade paadhugaapu kudukkum.

Sen: 🙄

Kap: Ithanepere thaandi unnaiyum un kootatheyum oru kombanaleyum asaikka mudiyadhu!

Senguttuvan's spine was chilled as lightning flashed.

Sen: Ammai eppo varum? 😳

Kapalikan shut his eyes for a little while.

Kap: Neelakurinji pookum.

Sen: Neelakurinjiya? Adhu 12 varudathukku oru dhadavadhene pookum. Ippodhene 6 varudam odirukku? 🙄

Kap: Ambaal nenaicha malaiyum maduvaagum maduvum malaiyaagum. Oru poo pookadha enna?

Sen: Cheri Kapalikare. 🙄🙏

Kap: Onnu marandhuradhe Chenguttuva.

Sen: Ennadhu Kapalikare? 🙄

Kap: Chozhan varra neram nerungidichi.

Sen: 😳

(Rome)

Vikram and Sailaja have been in Rome for ten days now. They had an enjoyable experience there since every day after Vikram back from work, they went to famous sights in Rome. Vikram made an effort to complete his job on schedule so that he could devote time with Sailaja.

They both had mixed emotions about their relationship, but they just let it go and concentrated on the positive features. They did have some 'awkward' moments, but rather than being silent and avoiding one other, they laughed it off and let it go.

Sai: Nurseyy. 🙄

Sailaja was glancing out the window.

Mug: Sollunga signora. 🙄

Sai: Mazhai iruttikittu varra madhiri irukke. Inniki outing poga mudiyumanu theriyale. 🙄

Mug: Aama signora, naan kooda modha previsioni del tempo-le (weather forecast) paarthen. Inniki heavy rain varumaam so inniki naan ungalukku special dinner seyren adhe saapdunga. 😁

Sai: Okay, Nurseyy. Seri naan poyi zoom call pannaporen. 😊

Mug: Okay, signora. 😁

Sailaja came inside her room to get her laptop, but she spotted something on the table.

Sai: Ennadhidhu? 🙄

It was a blue file. Sailaja grabbed it and looked through the file.

Sai: Achacho, idhu important-aana file-ache. Nethu sollikittu irundha project-oda mukkiyamana details-lam irukke. Naan appove nenaichen avasara avasarama kelambumbodhe edhayachum marapparunu, ketappa ellathayum eduthutennu confident pechu vere Vicky Paiyavukku. 🤪

She took her phone and dialled Vikram.

Sai: Che enna phone-eh edukkamaturaru. Indha file inniki thevaipadume. Seri avaru PA-kku phone pannuvom. 😬

She dialled the PA number, and fortunately, the phone was answered.

PA: Hello singora.

Sai: Penso che Vikram abbia lasciato un file importante a casa. 😬 (I think Vikram left an important file at home.)

PA: Grazie a Dio, pensavo di averlo perso. 😯 (Thank God, I thought I lost it.)

Sai: Non preoccuparti, lo porto subito. 🙂 (Don't worry, I'll bring it right away.)

PA: Grazie signora. 🙂

Sailaja hurriedly took her bag, put the documents inside, and went into the living room.

Sai: Nurseyy.

Mug: Enna signora? 🙂

Sai: Naan office varaikkum poyittu varen. 😄

Mug: Yen signora dhideernu? 🙄

Sai: Avaru oru important file vittutu poyittaru naan poyi kuduthutu varen. 😄

Mug: Achacho appo Beppe kitta call panni vara solren.

Sai: Avaru vandhu edukka time aagum naan pattunu poyi kuduthutu varen. 😄

Mug: Mazhai vere varudhe signora. 😬

Sai: Naan paarkadhadha adhellam sappa matter naan poyittu varen, bye. 😁🏃‍♀️

Mug: Okay. 😐

Sailaja impatiently approached the entryway.

Sai: Car-le polama? Vendam vendam scooter-le polam appodhan seekram pogamudiyum. 😁

She hurriedly put on her helmet, started the scooter, and moved on.

Mug: Enna indha ponnu namma scooter-eh eduthutu pogudhu. Aal aalukku angange poranga ivanga ellathayum spy panna naanoruthandhan irukken. 😐

Mugilanna checked his watch.

Mug: 😮‍💨 Seri nammalum follow pannuvom. Edhachum clue kedaicha capo kitte inform panlamle. 😁

Mugilanna hurriedly grabbed the car keys and began driving away.

(🛵)

Sai: Aiyo vaanam vere iruttagi kaathu vegama adikkidhe. Kadavule naan ange poyi file-eh kudukkura varaikkum mazhai varama paarthukkopa. 😬

The scooter travelled very quickly.

****

-Mahish