Kleptomaniacs

 A kleptomaniac has a mental disorder that compels the person to steal. Unlike a shoplifter, who will steal an item he or she wants or needs, a kleptomaniac steals for the thrill of stealing, often taking items that have little or no value. However, there are a  few cases where diagnosed kleptomaniacs have stolen even  expensive items. 
 

If you notice that every time your friend  `A `  comes visiting you in your office, some of  the pens  & other stationary items disappear from your table, it may be that your friend is a kleptomaniac. There are many in our society, even well- to-do who are afflicted with this mental disorder.

I had a lady boss, a mini celebrity in her time, who could be called a Kleptomaniac. She had the habit of picking up things that attract her in the hotels that she was staying during her travels.

I am not referring to the  `toilet kits` or the `dental kits` or the `shampoo sets` which almost all of us take away from the hotel rooms when we are checking out.. These branded items are supposed to be a part of the Hotel`s  brand building exercise. The hotels do not mind your taking them away  because the cost of such items are built into the room rate they quote to you. Rest assured that you will not come under the classification of a `kleptomaniac`. I have a huge collection of these from hotels from around the world

Hotels, however,  don`t expect you to take away the paintings  on display in the rooms or the expensive bath or hand towels, drinking glasses  or  the cutleries  used in room service. If you do this you will certainly come under the classification  as a Kleptomaniac.

 My lady boss once went  beyond this. I remember her  picking up a beautiful flower vase displayed on a side table in the lobby of the hotel where she  was  staying. When she realized that the receptionist had noticed it, she coolly went up to him and said ` I like this lovely piece. Do you mind if I take it.` Without waiting for his reply she quickly made an exit. Poor receptionist was speechless. And the security guard watched  nonplussed because she was a well known guest of the hotel.

When faced with this major problem a hotel management decided to have a display card on the side table in every room in their hotel  with the following message; ` You are welcome to help yourself with any items you fancy in this room. Please remember the cost of such items will be added to your room bill when  you are checking out`. I am told that the incidence of expensive items missing from the rooms came down drastically at this hotel.

I think the signs  of a potential Kleptomaniac  can be seen among some children who nonchalantly steal items from neighbor`s or friend`s  homes. Some of them steal things even from their class rooms in schools. Many of them  boast about it to their friends later. Parents of such children would do well to control their kids early in life so that this dreadful habit is nipped in the bud.

(This article appeared in Adyar Times Issue dated 17-23^rd December,2017 under my column `Rajan`s Random Reflections`)

Divya Darshanam

27^th November,2017, will go down as one of the most memorable days in my life. The day I had the privilege of having a full 30 minutes ( 1800 seconds) darshan of my favourite Lord (Ishta Deivam) at his original abode in Tirupathy. For a person who is used   to be satisfied with the 20 to 30 seconds darshan that the Lord has given me  in all these years, this was a  feast for the eyes & soul. I was a part of a privileged group who had paid for the `Archana Seva`, seated inside the sanctum sanctorum, witnessing the special Pooja followed by an opportunity to go closer to the deity to receive the` Chadari` from the Priest. Needless to say I was in cloud nine. Excited, exhilarated, … any number  of adjectives cannot describe my true feelings. I even shed a few tears ( Ananda Kanneer)  and thanked the  Lord for deciding to grant me such a privileged darshan.

I have been a regular visitor to Tirumala  since April,1962 when I visited the temple for the first time as an adult and got hooked to the Lord for life. I have been visiting the temple at least once a year, if not more, for the last 55 years. Total surrender to this Lord has seen me coming out of many challenges I faced in my life with my head high.  I have shared my experiences with the Lord in my autobiography under the chapter titled `My Tryst with God`.

 I have  had  the pleasure of standing in a corner and having the darshan of the Lord for 4 to  5 minutes by bribing the volunteers inside  the sanctum sanctorum in the past ( in the 70s when the  administration of the crowd was slack and corruption was rampant).  I was even smuggled into a VIP queue by brokers for a small fee. But the experience on 27^th  November  when I had the legitimate Archana Seva was unparalleled  in my life.

For this I must thank my good friend Sridharan Chettiar, a good Samaritan with a generous heart who decided to include me in his family group to have the Archana Seva for which he had made bookings eight years ago. This special  seva is held  between 4.30 & 5.00 am every day immediately after Thomala Seva. About 20 families ( hundred people) who have valid tickets are allowed to participate in the Seva. I am told all these special sevas  are booked for the next 15 years. I am lucky to have had the opportunity to witness the  special seva this year

Thank you Sridharan for your kindness. I consider this darshan as  the best 75^th birthday gift I have received this year and thank you Lord for your divine grace. I get goose pimples thinking about the Seva even 10 days after I had the darshan! Govinda.. GOOvinda!