“What, If Our Dreams Come True!” is an Epic-style novel written by me. It is my first novel in English. It is my first full-fledged, published novel too.

What this novel is about

We all have dreams – both pleasant and unpleasant. Many psychoanalysts say that dreams result from our deep-rooted memories, emotional impacts from our past experiences, and our desires. Many times, we wish if only our dreams really came true. Other times, we pray that our dreams never come true.

We are all sensitive to things happening around us. This novel is an outcome of my anguish, my aspirations, my dreams and my emotional disturbances over many events. I was inspired by many news reports, books and articles of a few famous authors and columnists, and teaching from my gurus, to write this novel.

I believe, we can all collectively make this Earth, a better place to live in. We only want to be inspired. We await a trigger. We are all connected in some way. Relationship is the most important thing in life, and I believe it is worthwhile sacrificing anything and everything for the sake of relationship, though I myself struggle, imperfectly, towards this goal.

To achieve anything worthwhile, our physical, mental and psychological strength alone are not going to be sufficient. One needs spiritual strength too. One needs Grace. One needs Blessings.

Now, this story is about Poorna Chandran….

Poorna Chandran@Poornan, the narrator of the story in the novel starts off his life as a naïve, village teen, around the year 1945. Everything changes for him one day. He has severe stomach pain. Medicines fail to give him relief. All of a sudden, Lord Siva appears in his dreams and promises to cure him instantly on a condition that Poornan meets with him in seven of HIS places. His stomach pain is gone. The village astrologer opines that Poornan shouldn’t ignore Lord Siva’s ordain, lest he invites HIS wrath. So, on his advice, Poornan sets out along the banks of the river Tamirabarani – the perennial, sacred river of Tirunelveli District of Southern Tamil Nadu – to meet Lord Siva.

His first destination is Courtallam, famous for its waterfalls, herbs and siddhiks and most importantly, Chithra Sabhai, one of the seven abodes of Lord Siva. There, he encounters one siddhik who changes everything for him in his life. Incredible, nerve-racking experiences happen to Poornan during his encounter with the siddhik.

Armed with his experience at Courtallam, Poornan moves on to six more places along the river Tamirabarani. In each of these places, he has something, very significant, waiting to happen.

What happens in those places? You must read the entire novel to know………….

Epilogue

It took nearly two and half years for me to complete this novel in all respects. The novel took me to several small villages, towns, and temples along the river Tamirabarani and I gained richly from my visits, about my place.

The river Tamirabarani is, probably, the only river of Tamil Nadu to originate, run through, irrigate and merge with the sea within the State of Tamil Nadu. I read with great interest a book “Tamirabarani Mahatmiyam” published nearly a century back, lent to me by retired Professor Sri Sitaraman, one of my well-wishers in Tirunelveli. I read with great awe the mythological stories associated with the river. Another book “Tamirabarani Karaiyinile” written by Sri Muthalankurichi Kamarasu gave me a lot of insight about the river and several pilgrim centers around the river. This book, particularly, encouraged me to visit the ‘Nava Kailasa’ and ‘Nava Thirupathi’ kshetras on the banks of the river. I was only stopped at Sernthamangalam along the river, beyond which, I was advised I wouldn’t be able to go on my own as the river merges with the sea a few miles down the village.

I waited for more than a year to peep into the historic Chithra Sabhai and its paintings at Courtallam, which was closed for a long time for renovation works.

An Islamic stranger, whom I accidentally met in a tea shop at Kayalpattinam gave me very interesting information about the place and its surroundings that inspired me to pen a whole episode in this book.

In Cheranmahadevi, I had to wait for more than an hour for the temple priest to arrive to open the Siva temple, just on the banks of the river. The railway bridge across the river, touching the temple and the greenery around it inspired me to write another whole episode.

I learnt a lot from the priests of the magnificent Siva temples at Brahmadesam and Tiruppudaimaruthur. The bathing ghat along the river Gadana, a tributary of the river Tamirabarani at Tiruppudaimaruthur inspired me to write another episode of this novel.

I was awe struck by the architecture of the Siva temple at Brahmadesam, built during the Rajendra Chozha period, almost a millennium back. The tall ‘Maruthu’ trees lined along the steep banks of the river at Ambasamudram formed a tantalizing arcade and lead one to the other Siva temple built during the same Chozha times. This, along with the steep stone steps just outside the Siva temple at Papanasam inspired me to write another episode.

When I crossed the old check dam along the river at Srivaikuntam and entered the town, I marveled at the uniqueness of the place – a holy place for both Vaishnavaites and Shivaites, a place where Lord Siva and Lord Narayana confluence – as a standing message about the Oneness of God. A place where all souls merge into One – Vaikuntam.

Rather, I can now write another entire book about how I wrote this novel.

I thank God for inspiring me to write this unique novel and I remain blessed.

“WHAT, IF OUR DREAMS COME TRUE! AN UNCOMMON MEETING WITH LORD SIVA” book is available on www.amazon.com as a kindle version and on www.pothi.com as print version.

I intend to serialize the novel through my website and one chapter will be released every Saturday. I request readers’ to send their comments to info@tnneelakantan.com or neelkant16@yahoo.com

“Poornamadha Poornamidham Poornaath Poornam Udhachyathe!

Poornasya Poornamaadhaaya Poornamevaa Vachishyathe!

Ohm Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi hi!”

*****