RIP Jayalalithaa

A tea stall owner once cut off his tongue as he had made an offering to God if his PURATCHI THALAIVAR or revolutionary leader gets elected, he will sacrifice so. Now that she is no more, many are going to kill themselves in grief as the day dawns in India. The reason, their Demi Godesses Amma is no more.

Jayalalithaa, popular as Amma, was one of the movie stars who migrated to the world of politics following the footsteps of her mentor MGR, a cine Superstar in Tamil Nadu - a state where a very thin line divides between tinsel town and politics.

Movie industry in Tamil Nadu is no ordinary business, especially in this Southern state of India where it's a way of life. The treatment of Movie stars would put Gods to shame, who would feel jealous looking at the adulatory worship some of the mere mortals can command on earth.

So much so that if the Matinee Idol MGR, a two time Chief Minister of the state, sipped a glass of Orange juice, the leftover would be mixed in buckets of water and offered as PADUKA (sacred offering) to the fans who would make beeline for it.

Cine actors are known to have a different reel life vs real life, many with double lives and double wives and MGR was no different. The duality is best symbolized by "Two Leaves", the symbol of AIADMK party which he founded and steadfastly steered through. Though MGR never smoked or drank on screen, he was known to drink in private, his favorite being Gin. Jayalalithaa was his known other woman in life, who became the de facto career of his mantle.

But Gods are known to fall. Mere mortals are after all mortals. MGR passed away after a long battle with ailments, passing the baton to Jaya, who soon became a Goddess by her own rights - so much so that voyeuristic display of wealth accumulated via illegal means, multiple corruption scandals and propagation of a culture of obeisance didn't stop her to make incredible political comebacks. 

But Godesses on earth are mortal too. After struggling for several weeks in hospital, she finally breathed her last. Obituaries and RIP messages poured causing deluge on social media. I had to scroll a mile down on my phone till my finger hurt, so also my eyes seeing no end to RIP messages. 

We Indians are a bunch of emotionals. Unlike the West where Obituaries can can be pretty judgemental, we tend to dwell on only the positive side of a dead person, given the negativity a pass. Though marred by corruption, nepotism and high handedness, Jayalatihaa will go down the history as a lady who carved her niche on her own way, leaving behind a vaccum - this time no Matinee Idol ready to pick up the baton. May she RIP.