Chennai is a behemoth of hidden treasures. Hidden admist its myraid network of roads,streets and canals lies a story waiting to be told. After days of circumventing these places for want of time, I decided to go ahead and see what lay in store and what unfolded before me were tales of common men and women , of lives interwoven to create a culture so unique and so distinct.
My first stop on this journey is a small suburb popularly called as TRIPLICANE.
"Tiru-alli-keni" ( Temple surrounded by a pond filled with alli- a kind of tulip ) is a crowded suburb sandwiched between 2 giants Mylapore and Broadway(TOWN as we call it) . Dominated by the brahminical community , it provided a steady stream of clerical workforce to the East India Company and later to the govt offices that sprung along the shores of the Marina.
The workforce attracted the young bachelors towards chennai and so sprung the mansion concept of housing which exists even today.
"The first right from the temple , down the alley, and left - you will find Manohar mansion. Raja accompany madam to mano ."
It was definitely a little more dicey to find the mansion than what Thatha sitting on the thinnai thought .
"This is mano." -Raja
"This ??? A Mansion ??? "
A two storeyed pale yellow building with the left structure crumbling stood in front of me. A soggy wooden ladder was placed to climb on to the first floor. I for once hesitated on if it could carry the burden of .... kg woman all the way up, but what the heck anything for getting in there.
A hall with 5 rooms on either side and a common breathing space in the middle. Looked more like a hostel but with families. None of the rooms had bathrooms or toilets. There were common ones at the end of the mansion which had to be used in turns.
The 5 rooms were occupied by 14 people. Clothes hung everywhere. It was 4:00 pm , the rooms were not all occupied, excepting those who worked in night shifts. I didnt see a kitchen anywhere.
Raja understood from my gaze and informed "Saapadu from Kasi Vinayagam for this mansion".
Kasi Vinayagam mess, another trademark of Appumulli street in Triplicane. Mess are again run by brahminical communities with an entrepreniual touch. These days though, there are Chettinad , Kerela and even a Chinese mess. Breakfast, Lunch , dinner all for 50bucks a day . Dinner alone costs Rs. 20.Boss, it really pays to be in a mess.
For the bachelors ( they are of two kinds married and unmarried) Mansions are a cost effective place. A room costs 500 bucks a month on sharing basis. With dinner served for 25 days it worked out to just about Rs.1000. Thats leaves a lot for sending home.
Manikantan walked in from office.He was an office staff with one of the facility services. Stuffing and franking mail was his key performance area at work. He shared his spartan room with 4 others he met here. He started talking about life in a mansion but slowly ...
It is tough -Queues for bio breaks,Mosquitoes,Water problems, Privacy issues ,Social Stigma. But it has its share of fun also. We have screening of movies in the common room , on a dhoti tied across. We have an implicit bond amongst us. No good mornings, or good nights but when we feel desolate and miss home, we all understand.
"Mani Mani ," a voice yells from below. That is Selva. He was mani's room mate untill 3 months ago .He moved in to a proper house in Aynavaram. But on friday evenings he is here to play gully cricket and go for dinner to Kasi's .
Selva walks in.
"Polama da, Bat kondu va?" ( Shall we go, bring the bat along)
As the duo walk out of the mansion onto the streets, they carried something with them. A hope for a better pitch ahead and a part of Tiru - alli- keni.
Abrrrrrrrrrr The Auto moves along....
Mommy blogger
Friday, April 29, 2005
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
When Hari met Saali
It was a boring evening at the hotel. The new place made me sleepless, and the Tv was jus not worth watching. So picked up this sidey looking magazine from the local store. Believe me its worth a try to read these once in a while...
'Dear Diana,
(Psst the agony aunt calls herself Lady Diana)
Me, Hari Raj Singh from Jalander. My marriage got over last June with dhoom and dham. My wife very pretty and very good. For my marriage , my then fiancee's sister did not come as her exams were going.
After marriage we went to Mumbai for honey moon. Very nice.I am very happy with my wife and she also. Now my wife is carrying 3 months.My wife's sister came back from hostel to help my wife when vomiting.She is double pretty.
When I saw my saali , I fell in love with her immediately. I feel my saali also loves me. Now it is not I don't like my wife. I love both of them very sincerelly and very deeply.I want to propose to my saali, and also not make my wife sad.
Dear Diana , please tell me what to do ?
'Dear Diana,
(Psst the agony aunt calls herself Lady Diana)
Me, Hari Raj Singh from Jalander. My marriage got over last June with dhoom and dham. My wife very pretty and very good. For my marriage , my then fiancee's sister did not come as her exams were going.
After marriage we went to Mumbai for honey moon. Very nice.I am very happy with my wife and she also. Now my wife is carrying 3 months.My wife's sister came back from hostel to help my wife when vomiting.She is double pretty.
When I saw my saali , I fell in love with her immediately. I feel my saali also loves me. Now it is not I don't like my wife. I love both of them very sincerelly and very deeply.I want to propose to my saali, and also not make my wife sad.
Dear Diana , please tell me what to do ?
Yours sincerelly,
Troubled Hari'
Hmm , What does Diana have to say for this ... wait for the next entry...
Saturday, April 09, 2005
Mami in Bangalore
(To read the part I , scroll down furthur to the next entry)
The ride from station to Koramangala was a 45 minute one. Meena Mami sat at the back. Shanks, started the conversation-
“My wife is pregnant – First child. Our parents are abroad and will not be able to come for the delivery. I am attending classes for handling this on my own. As mentioned earlier you will have to take charge of the house like our mother.”
“Mm …”
“What about you? Do you have children? Where are they and what are they doing?”
“I don’t have anyone. Don’t worry I will take care of your wife. What ‘s her name?”
“Myths – Mythili... “
The santro zipped to the left.
“This is our apartment. Security... Aunty hamare saath rahengi. Flat number B-6.”
“Ok, Saab “He stared at the lady who was fiddling with something in her bag.
Mythili opened the door “Ah! Mami, you look exactly like my pati. Come in come in.. "
“Here, this is for you”, it was a packet of fruits and pal khoa. “
Meena mami settled faster than expected. The kitchen and dining room gained focus from the computer. The tongues which had died of eating canned and pre cooked food were awoken by Spicy rasams, Thovials and batchanams. There was always a small cup of surprise at the end of a meal.
Mythili gained weight as the dates fast approached. Shanks was tensed, applied for 15 days of PL and revised the check list everyday.
Mami was composed. She went about her daily rituals without a murmur. If she missed the quaint fields of Tanjore, she didn’t mention .
Shanks initial apprehensions of elderly intervention in their independent lives were thrashed aside with Mami discreetly moving to her room when the parents were playing with the unborn.
The D-DAY arrived with a sharp pain. The new born was to come along soon. The pains got more frequent and Shanks more nervous. He screamed more than Myths, that the gyni gave him a tranquilizer and asked him to step out of the labour room. Mami sat in one corner of the lobby muttering barely audible slokas.
The delivery was normal. It was a beautiful baby girl. Kaavya- the proud parents named her. Her photos and foot prints criss crossed the internet space to far flung grand parents, uncles and aunts.
Myths rejoined duty in a month without a thing to worry. Kaavya was a darling and Mami’s pet. Mami would sing all kinds of songs for her and Kaavya bloomed. In the evenings when the parents came back, the bundle of joy was dutifully handed over. Things seemed to have settled into a mode of perfection.
It was a particularly stressful week for Myths. Shanks was attending a call at home. So she decided to take a stroll with Mami and Kaavya.
Mami was unusually silent. Was she missing her life in Mayavaram? Should she give her a week off or something? This was not the right time. There was a project deadline coming up and Mami had to be here. How could she ask her? Myths wanted to break the silence.
“Mami, you have never said anything about yourself to me. “
The question seemed to have opened a long withheld dam. Mami spoke at length reminiscing long gone days…
“I was married when I was 15. I was widowed when I was 16. I never saw my husband as I had not attained puberty. Life after that was tough. I was always in the kitchen, and with the new born kids. At 25 I wanted to have my own kids but I never knew how. I was the only daughter of my parents. They had lots of property which came under my name. I did nt want any of them; I wanted to have a family. But those days were different. Sometimes I wondered was this life worth living. Looking back now, I don t know how I got past those days. I never could talk to anyone about this.
So I started studying without anyone’s knowledge. I passed MA English Lit. I taught children at home. I loved children. I gave all my property for the construction of a school.
I had actually never been to a city before. That’s why when Sambu mama told me that someone was looking for help in a city. I applied.”
She looked at Myths and asked with a lilt in her eyes – “Mythili, You won’t mistake me if I ask you something? “
“Not at all mami, “Myths replied mentally preparing for a week’s leave application and started rehearsing her explanations.
“Will you take me to this place someday?”
She unwrapped a metro plus edition (folded in 16) which had Forum- The Mall shots splashed across its front page. PVR 's latest show was also on the Advt.
“I have never seen anything like this before. “
Suddenly Myth felt like a mother of 2 children, “Sure mami I will. Lets go today itself – you, me and Kaavya. It will be a pucca lady’s day out .“ Mami refolded the paper into her saree folds.
She told Kaavya - "Kutti ponne , innikku nama vellila porom. Enna dress su pottukulam ?? "
Myths slowed her pace down to watch the two beautiful women walk ahead of her. Mayavaram Mami , the name just didn’t suite her.
The ride from station to Koramangala was a 45 minute one. Meena Mami sat at the back. Shanks, started the conversation-
“My wife is pregnant – First child. Our parents are abroad and will not be able to come for the delivery. I am attending classes for handling this on my own. As mentioned earlier you will have to take charge of the house like our mother.”
“Mm …”
“What about you? Do you have children? Where are they and what are they doing?”
“I don’t have anyone. Don’t worry I will take care of your wife. What ‘s her name?”
“Myths – Mythili... “
The santro zipped to the left.
“This is our apartment. Security... Aunty hamare saath rahengi. Flat number B-6.”
“Ok, Saab “He stared at the lady who was fiddling with something in her bag.
Mythili opened the door “Ah! Mami, you look exactly like my pati. Come in come in.. "
“Here, this is for you”, it was a packet of fruits and pal khoa. “
Meena mami settled faster than expected. The kitchen and dining room gained focus from the computer. The tongues which had died of eating canned and pre cooked food were awoken by Spicy rasams, Thovials and batchanams. There was always a small cup of surprise at the end of a meal.
Mythili gained weight as the dates fast approached. Shanks was tensed, applied for 15 days of PL and revised the check list everyday.
Mami was composed. She went about her daily rituals without a murmur. If she missed the quaint fields of Tanjore, she didn’t mention .
Shanks initial apprehensions of elderly intervention in their independent lives were thrashed aside with Mami discreetly moving to her room when the parents were playing with the unborn.
The D-DAY arrived with a sharp pain. The new born was to come along soon. The pains got more frequent and Shanks more nervous. He screamed more than Myths, that the gyni gave him a tranquilizer and asked him to step out of the labour room. Mami sat in one corner of the lobby muttering barely audible slokas.
The delivery was normal. It was a beautiful baby girl. Kaavya- the proud parents named her. Her photos and foot prints criss crossed the internet space to far flung grand parents, uncles and aunts.
Myths rejoined duty in a month without a thing to worry. Kaavya was a darling and Mami’s pet. Mami would sing all kinds of songs for her and Kaavya bloomed. In the evenings when the parents came back, the bundle of joy was dutifully handed over. Things seemed to have settled into a mode of perfection.
It was a particularly stressful week for Myths. Shanks was attending a call at home. So she decided to take a stroll with Mami and Kaavya.
Mami was unusually silent. Was she missing her life in Mayavaram? Should she give her a week off or something? This was not the right time. There was a project deadline coming up and Mami had to be here. How could she ask her? Myths wanted to break the silence.
“Mami, you have never said anything about yourself to me. “
The question seemed to have opened a long withheld dam. Mami spoke at length reminiscing long gone days…
“I was married when I was 15. I was widowed when I was 16. I never saw my husband as I had not attained puberty. Life after that was tough. I was always in the kitchen, and with the new born kids. At 25 I wanted to have my own kids but I never knew how. I was the only daughter of my parents. They had lots of property which came under my name. I did nt want any of them; I wanted to have a family. But those days were different. Sometimes I wondered was this life worth living. Looking back now, I don t know how I got past those days. I never could talk to anyone about this.
So I started studying without anyone’s knowledge. I passed MA English Lit. I taught children at home. I loved children. I gave all my property for the construction of a school.
I had actually never been to a city before. That’s why when Sambu mama told me that someone was looking for help in a city. I applied.”
She looked at Myths and asked with a lilt in her eyes – “Mythili, You won’t mistake me if I ask you something? “
“Not at all mami, “Myths replied mentally preparing for a week’s leave application and started rehearsing her explanations.
“Will you take me to this place someday?”
She unwrapped a metro plus edition (folded in 16) which had Forum- The Mall shots splashed across its front page. PVR 's latest show was also on the Advt.
“I have never seen anything like this before. “
Suddenly Myth felt like a mother of 2 children, “Sure mami I will. Lets go today itself – you, me and Kaavya. It will be a pucca lady’s day out .“ Mami refolded the paper into her saree folds.
She told Kaavya - "Kutti ponne , innikku nama vellila porom. Enna dress su pottukulam ?? "
Myths slowed her pace down to watch the two beautiful women walk ahead of her. Mayavaram Mami , the name just didn’t suite her.
Mayavaram Mami - Part I
Shankara- raman re read the post card. It was written in black cursive.
I am coming by Bangalore Mail, S1- berth number 36. I leave Mayavaram on 11th and will be there on 12th morning. Please arrange for someone to come to the station. I will stand outside the coach.
- Meenakshi
Shanks,(as he called himself now) filed the post card.It was not often that you got one these days.
"Myths, (Thats how he called his wife Mythili) I am leaving for work, will be back tom at 3:00 am. Got a call tonight. You sleep. Have the keys. Will call you from off.. Cia babe". -He switched off the answering machine recorder.
Myths was his co worker at IT solutions. When he was the PM, she had been SA. Now both had grown with the IT boom. Their affair was a quick one .Dated each other for 3 months before tying the knot.
The couple were what every Indian IT worker envied- double income, highly successful and highly independent. Myths parents lived in Argentina and Shanks mom was with his sister in the US.
It was a Monday morning when the test results were out.The company doc , called Shanks.
'Hey shanky , congrats.This time too you have delivered results bang on target. Positive yar . You have jus got promoted.'
The couple went to Sunnys for dinner. Plans were laid out and schedule charts made. Both the parents expressed their absence for the delivery.
Shanks enrolled for a class - "So you are expecting ?"
He was the only human with a flat stomach. That didn't matter. He enjoyed the course .They were a breather to his drab project meetings. Morning sickness, Cramps, movements, inlaws, outlaws- he learned them all.
As deadlines and delivery dates approached, work weighed on Shanks and Myths. Myths would start her leave in 1 month . They decided they needed help.
Tulsamma and Gowri , were not all equipped to handle the complications. They wanted someone at home, someone who would be a part their family- Someone reliable coz Myths wanted to get back to work by June.
Thats when, Meenakshi Mami from Mayavaram applied. She was 62 , thats what the resume said. Too old thought Shanks, Myths view was older the better. Mami had been born and brought up in Mayavaram, a town off Tanjore.
'She can speak english'- Myths observed.
They dialled the number listed on the white sheet of paper.
6:00 am ,12th morning. Shanks drove to Bangalore city Jn. The train had just pulled in. Shanks was known for his punctuality. He scanned through the crowd for S1 poster on the bogie.
There she stood. Wrapped in a 9 yard Sandlewood color saree , Iyer style - tightly wrapped around her head. She hugged her possesions - A small yellow bag, one suitcase and a basket of fruits. A grey shawl tried in vain to protect her from the bangalore chill.
Shanks went up to her and showed her the post card. Mami smiled.The sweat shirt clad Project manager and the mami from Mayavaram walked -cutting across the morning smog.
I am coming by Bangalore Mail, S1- berth number 36. I leave Mayavaram on 11th and will be there on 12th morning. Please arrange for someone to come to the station. I will stand outside the coach.
- Meenakshi
Shanks,(as he called himself now) filed the post card.It was not often that you got one these days.
"Myths, (Thats how he called his wife Mythili) I am leaving for work, will be back tom at 3:00 am. Got a call tonight. You sleep. Have the keys. Will call you from off.. Cia babe". -He switched off the answering machine recorder.
Myths was his co worker at IT solutions. When he was the PM, she had been SA. Now both had grown with the IT boom. Their affair was a quick one .Dated each other for 3 months before tying the knot.
The couple were what every Indian IT worker envied- double income, highly successful and highly independent. Myths parents lived in Argentina and Shanks mom was with his sister in the US.
It was a Monday morning when the test results were out.The company doc , called Shanks.
'Hey shanky , congrats.This time too you have delivered results bang on target. Positive yar . You have jus got promoted.'
The couple went to Sunnys for dinner. Plans were laid out and schedule charts made. Both the parents expressed their absence for the delivery.
Shanks enrolled for a class - "So you are expecting ?"
He was the only human with a flat stomach. That didn't matter. He enjoyed the course .They were a breather to his drab project meetings. Morning sickness, Cramps, movements, inlaws, outlaws- he learned them all.
As deadlines and delivery dates approached, work weighed on Shanks and Myths. Myths would start her leave in 1 month . They decided they needed help.
Tulsamma and Gowri , were not all equipped to handle the complications. They wanted someone at home, someone who would be a part their family- Someone reliable coz Myths wanted to get back to work by June.
Thats when, Meenakshi Mami from Mayavaram applied. She was 62 , thats what the resume said. Too old thought Shanks, Myths view was older the better. Mami had been born and brought up in Mayavaram, a town off Tanjore.
'She can speak english'- Myths observed.
They dialled the number listed on the white sheet of paper.
6:00 am ,12th morning. Shanks drove to Bangalore city Jn. The train had just pulled in. Shanks was known for his punctuality. He scanned through the crowd for S1 poster on the bogie.
There she stood. Wrapped in a 9 yard Sandlewood color saree , Iyer style - tightly wrapped around her head. She hugged her possesions - A small yellow bag, one suitcase and a basket of fruits. A grey shawl tried in vain to protect her from the bangalore chill.
Shanks went up to her and showed her the post card. Mami smiled.The sweat shirt clad Project manager and the mami from Mayavaram walked -cutting across the morning smog.
Monday, April 04, 2005
Guffaws at 11:30
Chennai weather for once was great. Rainy with thunder showers. How would you feel huddled up on the 4th floor , going through Quarter 1 logistics??
Well,that feel summed up my day - nothing spectacular, mundane and boring.
Blink didn't seem to interest me today,websites scrolled past me without impact.NO TO BLOGGING I promised myself.Yupp will watch the sidey flick on KTV and doze off.Great idea, I patted myself.
It was darn cold in chennai. Needed something warm. So up went the lid of my mumbai box. Mumbai box it was- all the junk and treasures of single life. The snap was there and was definitely winking at me.It was him, definitely him - Could never not spot a Hobbes in my life.
He was 10 years old when I bought him, now 11. But still winking at me.I sat on the box with the drawing sized book open on my lap.
Minutes slipped into hours, KTV went from movie to comedy time and back to midnight movie... the book didnt slip of my hands for a minute.I was giggling , laughing, had tears in the right corner of my eye.. This kiddo was great , the tiger better.
I looked up to clear the mist in my right eye, Appa was standing near the door-
" You are reading cartoons ??? Anu, grow up ... "
Grow up out of what? I loved this. Jus read this .....
Calvin:Dad, how do they make babies?
Dad:They don't make babies.Most people jus go to Sears, buy a baby assembly pack and assemble them.
C: Wow , I came from Sears
D: No , you were a blue light special at K MART ! Almost as good, and a whole lot cheaper.
C: Aaaaaaagh , K MART.
So there was squealing at this lil wonder and I logged on. This needed a mention on my blog so what if it meant breaking promises.I looked at the moniter hard , hoping Microsoft Word also has a verbal diarroea.
Hobbes: Do you have an idea for your story yet ??
C:(ME ??): No I am waiting for inspiration.You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet.You have to be in the right mood.
Hobbes: What mood is that ?
C:(ME.. !!!)Last minute Panic.
Ciao ...
Well,that feel summed up my day - nothing spectacular, mundane and boring.
Blink didn't seem to interest me today,websites scrolled past me without impact.NO TO BLOGGING I promised myself.Yupp will watch the sidey flick on KTV and doze off.Great idea, I patted myself.
It was darn cold in chennai. Needed something warm. So up went the lid of my mumbai box. Mumbai box it was- all the junk and treasures of single life. The snap was there and was definitely winking at me.It was him, definitely him - Could never not spot a Hobbes in my life.
He was 10 years old when I bought him, now 11. But still winking at me.I sat on the box with the drawing sized book open on my lap.
Minutes slipped into hours, KTV went from movie to comedy time and back to midnight movie... the book didnt slip of my hands for a minute.I was giggling , laughing, had tears in the right corner of my eye.. This kiddo was great , the tiger better.
I looked up to clear the mist in my right eye, Appa was standing near the door-
" You are reading cartoons ??? Anu, grow up ... "
Grow up out of what? I loved this. Jus read this .....
Calvin:Dad, how do they make babies?
Dad:They don't make babies.Most people jus go to Sears, buy a baby assembly pack and assemble them.
C: Wow , I came from Sears
D: No , you were a blue light special at K MART ! Almost as good, and a whole lot cheaper.
C: Aaaaaaagh , K MART.
So there was squealing at this lil wonder and I logged on. This needed a mention on my blog so what if it meant breaking promises.I looked at the moniter hard , hoping Microsoft Word also has a verbal diarroea.
Hobbes: Do you have an idea for your story yet ??
C:(ME ??): No I am waiting for inspiration.You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet.You have to be in the right mood.
Hobbes: What mood is that ?
C:(ME.. !!!)Last minute Panic.
Ciao ...
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Summer of 89'
My neighbour's son came home skipping like never before.
"From today,Loooooong holiday. "with an emphasis on the L.
"Where are you going Vish? "I asked
" Singapore. That was the deal I struck with Appa, and we better be going there this time."
Vish's mom came out. "He has been pestering us ever since the hoarding went up on LB bridge on Singapore. Ivar rum sonnar, polame nnu . We are yet to freeze plans. I believe tickets are a problem. Now that Singapore is just 5 hrs away, everybody seems to be hitting there."
"Happy hols Vish", I said and went to board the Auto to work.
Vish went to the same school I went 10 years back.It was just round the corner. As the Auto veered , my thoughts went back.
April 2nd,1989.I had just finished my IVth std, Social Science paper.SSc was always the last paper.The clock struck 1:00 and there was a controlled sound of relief in the classroom.
I walked out, calculating the number of days between April 2nd .. no no April 3rd and June 1st. I always lost count at the end of 27 days.Was April a 30 or a 31 day month?
My brother ,who also studied in the same school came out and called me to the cycle stand.And before anyone could catch him talking to his little demon sister,hurriedly enquired
Big Brother:"How was the paper? Here take all this and run home, and tell amma I will come in the evening"
Lil sister:" Where are you going ?"
BB:"Never ask such questions when I am leaving, anyways going for a movie."
LS:"Why should I carry all this ......"
BB was gone .
I boarded the bus to get down 2 stops later near my house. Amma was ready with the door open. How was the exam? Did Ques no 5 from Lesson 3 come? Did you write the line you always missed ?
Phew Amma, was always full of questions. Results were in May, Why bother now ?
"All written, School re opens on June 2nd". I declared like I had just commissioned a rocket.
Amma : Ok , clean your table ,books, pencils in the evening.
Me: Tomorrow
Amma : Today
Me : Amma...........
I sat near the table cleaning , while my BB watched a movie in Little Anand.
Amma came with a set of 6 frocks. They were always white or in summer shades.
I got this for summer.Patu mami is coming tomorrow evening.So practise all your geethams today.I will also sing along.We will then go to the beach with arti and shuba.
Arti and shuba were my neighbours.Nah more of soul mates.We were what we called ourselves " Awesome Threesome".
Our schedule for the summer was already written. We planned to meet on the terrace everyday for high tea ( like the Secret Seven).We didnt have Scamper , but we had teddy( It went well , was Arti's take- Threesome with Teddy, matched to the tee)
Amma, made small idlies and cutlets which were passed off as Marmalade and Sandwiches. Lemonade was always there and then there were mangoes- Banganapalli of Chennai fame.
Trips to terrace were exciting, Beach was big time. Sri Ramana Lending library was to be visited on Wed afternoons. Patu mami came on Tues and Fri evening. But the best was , the one week trip to pati' s place.
She lived in Tambaram ,now I know it is 1 hour from Besant Nagar and well within Chennai. Then I thought it was a trip worth a big briefcase.Appa drove us down for the drop in his blue Premier Padmini.I always drove alongside on the left hand side front seat.
I assumed for long that thatha was the Panchayat President, coz we always used to get that special treatment at the temple. Mid day, thayir sadam served with a story, Pandal on the terrace for us to play with small vessels of palm frond and ofcourse Sri Ramana 's novels dutifully translated and recited to pati.
I closed my eyes as the auto sped.I started crooning "Summer of 69... nope 89".
"From today,Loooooong holiday. "with an emphasis on the L.
"Where are you going Vish? "I asked
" Singapore. That was the deal I struck with Appa, and we better be going there this time."
Vish's mom came out. "He has been pestering us ever since the hoarding went up on LB bridge on Singapore. Ivar rum sonnar, polame nnu . We are yet to freeze plans. I believe tickets are a problem. Now that Singapore is just 5 hrs away, everybody seems to be hitting there."
"Happy hols Vish", I said and went to board the Auto to work.
Vish went to the same school I went 10 years back.It was just round the corner. As the Auto veered , my thoughts went back.
April 2nd,1989.I had just finished my IVth std, Social Science paper.SSc was always the last paper.The clock struck 1:00 and there was a controlled sound of relief in the classroom.
I walked out, calculating the number of days between April 2nd .. no no April 3rd and June 1st. I always lost count at the end of 27 days.Was April a 30 or a 31 day month?
My brother ,who also studied in the same school came out and called me to the cycle stand.And before anyone could catch him talking to his little demon sister,hurriedly enquired
Big Brother:"How was the paper? Here take all this and run home, and tell amma I will come in the evening"
Lil sister:" Where are you going ?"
BB:"Never ask such questions when I am leaving, anyways going for a movie."
LS:"Why should I carry all this ......"
BB was gone .
I boarded the bus to get down 2 stops later near my house. Amma was ready with the door open. How was the exam? Did Ques no 5 from Lesson 3 come? Did you write the line you always missed ?
Phew Amma, was always full of questions. Results were in May, Why bother now ?
"All written, School re opens on June 2nd". I declared like I had just commissioned a rocket.
Amma : Ok , clean your table ,books, pencils in the evening.
Me: Tomorrow
Amma : Today
Me : Amma...........
I sat near the table cleaning , while my BB watched a movie in Little Anand.
Amma came with a set of 6 frocks. They were always white or in summer shades.
I got this for summer.Patu mami is coming tomorrow evening.So practise all your geethams today.I will also sing along.We will then go to the beach with arti and shuba.
Arti and shuba were my neighbours.Nah more of soul mates.We were what we called ourselves " Awesome Threesome".
Our schedule for the summer was already written. We planned to meet on the terrace everyday for high tea ( like the Secret Seven).We didnt have Scamper , but we had teddy( It went well , was Arti's take- Threesome with Teddy, matched to the tee)
Amma, made small idlies and cutlets which were passed off as Marmalade and Sandwiches. Lemonade was always there and then there were mangoes- Banganapalli of Chennai fame.
Trips to terrace were exciting, Beach was big time. Sri Ramana Lending library was to be visited on Wed afternoons. Patu mami came on Tues and Fri evening. But the best was , the one week trip to pati' s place.
She lived in Tambaram ,now I know it is 1 hour from Besant Nagar and well within Chennai. Then I thought it was a trip worth a big briefcase.Appa drove us down for the drop in his blue Premier Padmini.I always drove alongside on the left hand side front seat.
I assumed for long that thatha was the Panchayat President, coz we always used to get that special treatment at the temple. Mid day, thayir sadam served with a story, Pandal on the terrace for us to play with small vessels of palm frond and ofcourse Sri Ramana 's novels dutifully translated and recited to pati.
I closed my eyes as the auto sped.I started crooning "Summer of 69... nope 89".
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