Before, After, Now...

Before...
I said, "Love and compassion"- They laughed at me,
I said, "ambition"- They called me a fool,
I said, "My country"- They called me useless and good for nothing.

After...
I said, "Cinema"- They turned towards me,
I said, "Cricket"- They roared in support,
I said, "Corruption and money"- They called me as their, inspiration, support and god.

Now...
I laugh at them.

The Farewell

“Why shouldn't you come with me?  Why is everybody against taking you with me?” my eyes talked with her. As usual she didn’t reply. Not even nano scale difference in her face expressions. So I started walking away from her, but my thoughts were only about her. 

   

  I can’t forget the days she taught me alphabets in a colorful way. As I grew up, she sung me poems, made me laugh with her jokes, and dozed me off with her bed time stories. She neither demanded me to do something nor complained of me. When I grew into my adolescence, she raised more problems. But I solved them as I had understood her. But it’s all over. I said to myself,” I should do away without her now”.

    

 Finally I reached the place where I should bid farewell to her. 

My exam hall. 

The invigilator drooled at me and asked, “Did you left your books outside?”
I simply shook my head in affirmation. I don’t know what pleasure the society is having by parting us.

The Heaven on earth-"The happiest ever summer camps"

                                               A TRAVELOGUE OF HEART

(Inspired by true events)

“Yes sir, the course fee is Rs. 4500 plus taxes”, glamorously replied a feminine voice trained in call management. This telephone conversation took place after I had referred several websites, friends and colleagues, seeking information regarding various summer coaching camps for my sister’s 7 years old kid. Suggestions varied from dance classes, music classes, sport camps, and even camps for developing reading habits (!) and the list went on. Of course! Computer classes are outdated, as the 7 year old is updating her FB status regularly. Finally after several round of short listings, swimming topped the list, as we are basically looking for a ‘summer’ coaching camp, and also because it is an essential survival skill (In case world ends in 2012 by Tsunami wave).

            

    Google spit out 882,000 results in 0.42 seconds, when I googled, “Swimming classes for kids”. My 18 years of academic knowledge felt intimidated by its intelligence.  After collecting details of a dozen of coaching institutes, I segregated them according to fees and safety facilities. I began calling them one by one. My closing conversation with the last in the list is what you read on the first line. Almost all the coordinators or receptionists replied in same way. Finally I zeroed in on a coaching center, mainly because it was nearer to my sister’s place (All coaching centers bragged about world class safety measures, which I obviously know is a lie). After that I cuddled in the warm embrace of my couch for a power nap.

               

  As my mind got relaxed, it floated back to my childhood summer vacations...                                            "Gold fish…..! Gold fish….” Shouted my brothers and sisters looking into the river. I was a little kid that time, which obviously explains my curiosity to take a look at it. So I peeped into the river pushing them aside from shore. “Splashhh!!!” I found myself inside river water, as my brother kicked me into the river. All I saw was, only water on all sides. It was like a Discovery channel’s, deep sea exploration scene, except water was not that clear. I don’t know how much water I swallowed, how many times I swirled, turned, beat my hands and legs in water. Finally bright sun light penetrated my eyes. “He’s swimming, He’s swimming”, I could hear my little sister screaming  in joy. Yes! I was swimming. It took me just 15 minutes to learn swimming. I was breathing heavily. But was swimming.  It didn’t took me 4500 + taxes and a month long course to learn it. Life had been simple yet filled with love and joy in the heaven on earth.  “My Grandma’s home”

               

  It didn’t need any googling, or placing several phone calls ensuring my safety during vacations. After all it was the safest and peaceful place in the earth. It just required Rs. 180 as to and fro travel expense to my grandma’s home, I would rather say, 

“The heaven on earth”-happiest ever summer camp.

               

  It can beat any luxury swimming pool camps, with its backhouse pump sets and lively river flowing joyously. It can beat any cocktail juice parties, with its lively plucked tender coconuts offered with love. It can beat every attractive breakfast, lunch or dinner buffets with my grandma’s steaming hot idlis with red spicychilly chutney for breakfast. Sumptuous lunch ranges with mouthwatering dishes like, vatha kulabu, kaara kulambu, urundai kulambu, special sambar, 7 types of rasam each a day and n number of variety of side dishes. A honorable special mention to my grandma’s exclusive mango pickles, which every time she makes specially for me. Best in the world.  Hot bajjis for evening snacks, will make anyone grab it at the first sight. Not to leave alone, all the delicacies and snacks she made specially for summer vacations, packed in separate utensils.

                

What made all the above mentioned occasions special, interesting and memorable is that, my grandma’s home hosts a joint family, consisting my father’s two siblings and their kids. So I was always accompanied by my gang of brothers and sisters (Totally 11-including my father who is the gang leader).      A five-star buffet lunch is nothing when compared with eating competitions with my brothers and sisters. Not to leave aside the frivolous fights, when someone wrongly counted the number of idlis ate.  Moon light dinner with grandma hand feeding (Not spoon feeding) us in turns as we sat around her in circles. Gang fishing in ponds using net, on weekends. Those where the most delicious fishes I ever ate.

              

  There can’t be any better story teller than my grand ma, except that she doesn’t know English, which made J.K. Rowling take that place in story telling industry. The way she recites stories on her child hood experiences, ranging from ghosts, functions, value of money, and our ancestors, the places she had travelled, made us forget the time and transpired into her world. I can’t ever forget the day when my grand pa took care of me when I got fever. He prepared his hand-made medicine and applied on my fore head and legs, he worried more than my parents. I will never ever forget the childish happiness in his face when I got better.

               

  Being drenched in love and joy for two months, and always the dreaded day came every vacation when I should depart back home. I can’t remember a single time when I departed from my grandma without tears. Every time she will give me 10 rupees while departing, for getting snacks. I value it more than the 6 or 7 digit pay packages, which many feel proud of.

 Priceless memories stay etched deep in heart.

                

Suddenly I woke up due to some feeling of dampness. My tears had moistened my pillow. I washed my face and got ready to go to that coaching center. But a second thought made me book tickets for me and my sister's kid, to my grandma’s place.  “The heaven on earth”

Google is an 'ignorant nerd'- it didn't mention my Grandma's home in its search result for "Heaven on earth"

My first encounter with a strange woman

I was neatly dressed for the occasion, as it was the first time I was about to meet her. I was waiting in her room. I couldn't hear no other sound except the buzzing of air conditioner. The calmness bewildered me. I prepared within myself the things I wanna tell her. "This is your last chance. Don't mess it up. impress her", I said to myself.

Finally I heard the approaching foot steps. The "click...click..." sound of the heels increased. Finally I saw her entering through the door. I took a deep breath and looked at her. She smiled. She smiled at me!!! "WOW" is the only word I can think about her now.

"Hello dear, good morning", words melted away from her. "G..Goo", my tongue stuck to my mouth. "Ow! idiot. what's this?", I thought, "Come on talk, what will she think of you?" "Good morning", finally my mouth gave way for words. "Why are you looking too nervous? Do you need some water?" she sang again.
 "How does she know am nervous? Is she a magician?" I wondered. But I said "No".

She looked poise when she sat opposite to me in the cushioned chair. Her table had two glass cases full of chocolates wrapped in different colors. "She too's a chocoholic like me", I thought. I didn't began the conversation as my mom advised, "Don't be mischievous with her. Let her start the conversation". So I waited.

"Ahem", she cleared the throat. Finally she broke the ice. She looked at me with artificial charm and asked,
















"So dear, what is the sixth letter of alphabet?".
My face brightened and I started to count my fingers, "A...B...C...D..."
That's how my LKG interview began and my first encounter with a strange woman.