122 chapter
Like his current situation, this earlier problem had some relation to work, to
leaving his offi ce. A little later, Rajendran reasserted, “I don’t have any illness.
On the second, because I was late, I didn’t go.” He said that the following day
he was ready to go to work when his son said he needed Rajendran to accom-
pany him to inquire about getting admission to a tutorial program to help with
his studies. Th is, however, turned out to be a ruse by his wife and son to bring
him to the psychiatric hospital.
When we asked what other remedies he had sought for his problem, he
told us that 11 years earlier he saw an astrologer who told him he had not
done anything wrong that might have caused his diffi culties. Rajendran also
explained that he has been taking over-the-counter ayurvedic medicines
including chandanadi oil to help him sleep and brahmi, the treatment for men-
tal strengthening used by ayurvedic doctors, Chottanikkara temple offi cials
and some Muslim priests. We returned to the topic of Rajendran’s current ill-
ness, at which point his wife took over and spoke on his behalf for the remain-
der of the interview:
Kavitha: What is the reason you are here now?Rajendran’s Wife: We came because he is not getting enough sleep. He won’t sleep
before 2 am, and won’t eat any food. He will always watch me serving the food and
will eat only if he likes it. He is suspicious of whether the food is clean, and if he
doesn’t like it he won’t eat it. If he likes it, he will eat only a little. He won’t eat any-
thing. Now, after coming here, he is looking healthy. Before that, he was too thin.Kavitha: Is that the reason for coming here?Rajendran’s Wife: Yes. He is not sleeping. And we can’t read what he writes.
Th ere will be no sense to it.Kavitha: And when he talks?Rajendran’s Wife: Th ere is no problem when he talks. He speaks well. When
he writes, we can’t understand anything. So we thought, how can this be hap-
pening? He will make noises with his pen by hitting it on the paper. When we
ask why he is doing this, he will say that he is trying to destroy “bombs” and is
listening for their sound.Kavitha: Is it the fi rst time he is having this sight problem?Rajendran’s Wife: Yes. He is working in a bank. When he goes for his work,
he complains that someone is shining a light in his eyes so he can’t work. Th en