1140. What Ails Kumudhini?

People tell me that Kumudhini, living in the house opposite of mine, has gone mad. But I don't think so

Kumidhini is not a person close to me. Living in opposite houses, we two would see each other now and then. During those times, we would just exchange a smile by way of acknowledging that we knew each other.

The reason for some people coming to the conclusion that Kumudhini has gone mad is that there have beem some peculiar changes in her behaviour, since the past few days.

They say that while walking on the street, she is talking to herself and laughing out loud.

While remaining in her house, she would sometimes lock herself into a room. People outside the room would hear her talking to someone. Sometimes, she would talk angrily and some other times, she would beg. Sometimes, there would be footsteps of her running inside the room.

Once, her mother heard her saying, "Catch me if you can!" in a loud voice and laughing loudly. This was followed by the sound of her running inside the room.

Perturbed by this, her mother knocked at the door of the room. The noises stopped immediately. After a couple of minutes, Kumudhini opened the room and asked her mother calmly, "Why did you call me, mom?" as if nothing had happened.

Her mother asked her, "What was the noise? Whom were you chasing within the room?"

Kumudhini, visibly surprised by her mother's question, replied, "How can I chase anyone within the room? There is no one else in the room!"

Kumudhini's mother reported this incident to several people and lamented about the strange behaviour of her daughter. 

After hearing this, people began to look at Kumidhini in a strange way and laugh, as if mocking at her.

But, I don't laugh like others do. I know what ails Kumudhini.

Kumudhini is afflicted by a disease called 'love.' People afflicted by this disease, will initially try to conceal it from others. But the disease will reveal itself in many ways and show the person as mad, to the outside world, leading to people laughing at the afflicted person.

If the 'love' comes to the knowledge of the girl's parents and if they approve of it, then the disease will be cured.

That was what happened to me some time back. At that time, Kumidhini was one among those who mocked at me. 

Now, when Kumudhini sees that while others are laughing at her, I am not, Kumudhini acknowledges my empathy through her look. I can read the message, 'Earlier, when you were afflicted by the disease of love, I was among those who laughed at you. Only when I experience what you have experienced in the past, do I realize how stupid I had been in laughing at you!' conveyed to me by her gaze.

Thirukkural
Section 3

Love

Chapter 114
Shedding Shyness

Verse 1140 (in Tamil):
yAm kaNNin kANa naguba aRivillAr
yAm patta thAm padA ARu.

Meaning:

Ignorant folks sneer at me, when they see me. Ah, they haven’t been through what I have undergone.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'kumudhinikku vandha nOy' by the same author.)

Verse 1141 (Soon)
Verse 1139