Neyveli Ramani & the Ghost.

When NN left the hostel room, Neyveli Ramani joined as the Muser’s roommate. Ramani was assigned to the electrical department and requested Muser to take him in as roommate. Though there were two rooms available, what made Mr. Ramanai to select muser’s room remained a mystery for some time.

After a week, the mystery got solved itself, when Ramani told that he came to know about muser through NN and others. Probably he thought that they had common interests-Astronomy, Astrology and other occult sciences. On hearing these things, muser felt he had been done in by NN, as none other than him knew about these diverse interests.

Neyveli Ramani was a pious man. Every day after his morning bath, he would come to the room, wrapped in a wet loin cloth. He would proceed to lit agharbathi sticks and propitiate to an array of gods & goddesses. In the evenings, he would participate in any revelry; the hostelites might come up with, provided it seemed decent.

After dinner, the roommates (Ramani & the muser) got together to discuss Astronomical (Nebulae, globular stars, optical doubles, comets and host of other celestial bodies including planets of solar system), Astronautical (Moon landings, mars missions, Pioneer & voyager missions and Skylab) events.
Then the focus would shift to the basis of Astrology and links to Planetary movements on a individual’s life (horoscopy).

Days were spent on perfecting telepathy. He told muser that this juicy tidbit was gathered from NN (again that man had done in the muser). These sessions prolonged well into wee hours after midnight, till one of them cried a halt. They would walk like zombies the next morning, yet Ramani never failed to propitiate his gods & goddesses before venturing out.

Together they reached a certain level from where they could easily identify objects, shapes, colors even menu of items for lunch or dinner, how would a particular hostel mate dress on a given day etc. This led them to keep a score book, wherein they marked their hits and misses.

Word slowly got around the campus and our friends came to test our skills. Emboldened by our 50 to 60% success rate we planned to elevate to a higher plane.

They carried on a lengthy discussion on the ability of a yogi to leave and re-enter his physical body at will. Known stories were recollected. It was concluded, that without proper guidance these serious ventures should not be under taken. Soidisant’s were not experts. Lights were switched off and we embarked on a travel to the lands of snooze.

A high pitched cry rented the air and muser was startled and frozen in his stance. Muser hurriedly switched on the lights. He saw Ramani shivering & whimpering with morbid fear.

Ramani looked very pale as if he had seen a ghost. Muser comforted him with a glass of water. When he regained his composure, muser asked him why he was so frightened?

The answer stunned Muser. Ramani saw a shadow like apparition detaching from muser’s bed and walking towards the cupboard near the bed. He got frightened at that sight and concluded that the muser had made his soul to leave his physical body on the bed.

The mere thought of Muser’s soul not able to re-enter his physical body, left him helpless. He began to think about what he could do and how he would handle such a situation made him cry in extreme fear.

It took muser some time to convince him that the apparition he saw was nothing but the physical self of his room mate, reaching the cupboard for some sweets (Nellai Avudaiappan)

Muser chided Ramani for not having gathered that vital tidbit from Nellai Avudaiappan. Ramani looked sheepish and grinned in relief.