Kathiresan Ramachanderam

The World of the Samurai The samurai were a class of elite warriors in feudal Japan, renowned for their martial skills, strict code of honor, and dedication to the art of war. Their influence extended beyond the battlefield, shaping Japanese society and culture for centuries. Let’s delve into the fascinating aspects of their world. Origins and History The samurai emerged during the Heian period (794-1185) as the military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan. Initially, they were provincial warriors who gained prominence by serving powerful landowners and the imperial court. Over time, they became the ruling military class, dominating Japanese politics and society. Bushido: The Way of the Warrior Central to the samurai ethos was Bushido, which translates to “the way of the warrior.” This unwritten code emphasized virtues such as loyalty, honor, courage, and self-discipline. Samurai were expected to live and die by these principles, often sacrificing p...

Nestled in the heart of Province Wellesley, is the Crowne Plaza Penang. It is located in a 23-story building situated on the waterfront along Jalan Bagan Luar, featuring 343 rooms and sitting on the former site of the Straits Trading Co. tin smelting plant. The street in front of the hotel makes it accessible, and from its width, it is easy enough to discern that it is a rather busy street. The hotel has a decent parking area and that makes it all the more convenient especially for those driving down from Kuala Lumpur, or from where I am based at present, Petaling Jaya. The hotel has a nice lobby with a bar, where anyone who chooses to can have a quick drink, with the usual sofas in the seating area where one can wait for guests. It exudes a soft calming ambiance that is nothing short of relaxing. The lobby isn’t overly large, but it is large enough, and it does the basics well. The lobby and the dining area are located on the eighth floor, and the rooms are located on the floors abov...

Sanun sat astride his horse on a hill and watched the events that were unfolding before him. In front of him, an army was on the move, churning up clouds of dust as foot-soldiers and men on horsebacks trampled forward, and from the size of the dust clouds it was easy enough to discern that it was no small army that was headed their way. The scout watched for a bit longer before he turned his horse around and rode at breakneck speed for the encampment and within the hour he was in a tent and was speaking to the general in charge, a young nobleman of some caliber, and once he was done, he made his way out, to have a meal, while general Ratana, sat back on his chair, and pondered on what he’d just heard. From the sound of things, a large army was on its way and from what the scout had told him, they were more than formidable. He took a deep breath before he called for his scribe and had him transcribe six letters, one for each of the other five generals that were tasked with guarding the...

Love was a strange emotion to say the least, and it was difficult to define at best. It gave her butterflies in the stomach and made her knees go wobbly. Her heartbeat would go up a notch and her palms would get all sweaty whenever she saw him, and she’d try her best not to look in his direction, but she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from doing so every now and again to steal a fleeting glance. She started to lose appetite and she was beginning to lose weight. She struggled with it for months but the feeling did not go away and if anything it only got worse. Auria-lia was at a loss. She didn’t know if the feeling was mutual, she didn’t even know if he noticed her, and she wasn’t confident enough to approach him. He was tall, lean, with shoulder length black hair and his features looked like they were chiseled from a block of granite. Just thinking about him got her all hot and flustered. There was something else about him, there were rumors in the palace that the younger warriors w...

Thea sat on the stool in front of her dressing table and looked at herself in the mirror. She was pretty to say the least. She was tall, lean and petite, and she had sharp enticing features, and made for a sultry, attractive, woman that could catch the eye of any man, with the exception of the man that she had set her heart on. He seemed oblivious to her attentions, and no matter how hard she tried, and despite the numerous figure hugging, and revealing outfits that she’d used during their meetings, he never as much as gave her a suggestive look, and that for some reason or the other made her want him all the more. Born in an affluent family in Chiang Mai, she was not short of money, and she could more than afford to splurge on herself on a regular basis, but despite all her efforts, the man that she had her eyes on didn’t seem like he wanted to take their relationship further. Somewhat disheartened, she consulted a friend, who was well-versed in these matters, and she in turn made ar...

The tantalizing aroma of freshly brewed coffee pervaded the air, and it was both inviting and invigorating. I took a seat after placing my order at the counter, and paying the bill, and I waited patiently for the cup of freshly brewed coffee, and the slice of cheesecake that I had ordered to arrive. I sat close to a large window that overlooked a street in one of Bangkok’s more popular suburbs, and watched the cars roll down the street, and the people that were walking on the sidewalk pass by, dressed in their trendy, gaily colored clothes, the Thonburi riverside district attracted more than its fair share of tourists. I caught a glimpse of someone dressed in white, walk by and my thoughts instantly turned to the angel that had appeared out of nowhere slightly over a year ago. I tried to recollect her features, she was slim, tall for a woman and fair. She had shoulder length hair that was neatly tied behind her back. While I had some difficulty recollecting her features, I remember he...

“Is it possible to see an angel?”, I asked and the man that sat in front of me replied with an affirmative nod of the head. “However,” he said, “they are only seen by those who are extremely pious, it is common especially among those who have devoted their lives to their faith”, he hesitated briefly before he continued “and those who are about to meet their demise”. “If it is any consolation, it normally means that you will die a good death, I know if you’ve seen one it’s not because of your piety”, he added with a smile. The man who is known only as Martin was a priest and he was well versed in matters with regards to paranormal activity. He belonged to a religious order that was particularly secretive especially because it was one of the few orders that when the situation required it, conducted exorcisms.  We parted company soon after that and approximately half-a-year later, I received a phone call from Martin. “I think I’ve stumbled across an actual case of possession”, he sai...