A STING OPERATION

Please do not flare up.I have to admit that I see a Bong link wherever I go,a Kolkata connection in whatever I do.It is common to bask on all that is old and absolutely normal to rewind and be on a flashback mode even at work.

 It was just another normal day at work....The week had begun with a few glitches.Friends reported sick with headaches and yet attended work as usual.The

home front houses a clinic too and it was a spectacle to watch....firey eyed friends in day and night glasses.

He was not a habitual offender....a stickler for punctuality ,Mr M arrived late on Monday. MrT and Mr W followed suit..on Tuesday and Wednesday......I started getting the jitters.With misty eyes and running noses predominant, the work places in and around an arterial road ,presented a bleak picture of distorted vision too. But as they say every cloud has a silver lining,and so I recommended the afflicted ones I knew, to visit the friendly neighbourhood Doc.

Its mid week and the allergy continues to be viral.As friends and strangers made a beeline to the clinic nearby, I was thrilled....Oh ! let me tell you that if you are able to understand within a split second ,what I wish to convey , when I proclaim in ecstasy "JOY BANGLA" then you undoubtedly, belong to the category "A BONG ONCE,IS ALWAYS A BONG...TAM or OTHERWISE"

Incidentally,for ChenEYETES who may be curious and for the others too, let me tell you that ,the friendly neighbourhood Doc happens to be.....a kindhearted ophthalmologist....& though I feel the sting ,I am not red eyed as yet.......I hope the meaning has been conveyed to Madrasis too :-))))))

NAVRATHRI DAY 5 !

A trip down memory lane during this time of the year. AAAAHA ! is a smooth sail....a voyage that is not real and yet is so satisfying,a virtual tour that tales me to a state of total bliss.......and so, I wouldn't mind reliving my childhood days,a million times in the form of my posts .

I am back with my thoughts for today ,a little late though.....A depression

can be so depressing.As I woke up to the the sound of thunder,I could also see streaks of lightning through my window.It has been raining incessantly for the past couple of days....a real dampener indeed.Life has been thrown out of gear and a water tank up above has a gaping hole I fear.I was set to supervise Navrathri celebrations indoors and with nothing much to do, I set about doing what I love to do the best,,,,DREAM !

Ma said.."Dear girl ! it is Mahashoshti today.Can you please go and invite all our friends ?Let us have the real Golu Kondattam from today ."Nayaki was excited.She was thrilled.She was all set to release a new dress each day from Shoshti till Vijayadashami.

In the meantime Nayaki's friends had assembled already."Oh ! Can you please come soon...We are going to hop and Ekdalia is going to be the first stop.The pandals will be very crowded from tomorrow onwards.Let us have the first glimpse today," shouted the pretty Gariahat citizens.Even before Ma had given the permission ,the girls had dissappeared....It was just the beginning of four road days ahead...

Today Pattu Mami has built a small pandal at home sans Chanda/Vasool....Its a creative effort of two generations......and the PUJA FEVER has begun.I am miles away from the happening zone and yet the fervour seems to be the same.

My Golu theme for the year 2012 is based on the Durga Pujo.Five brass lamps(KUTHIVILAKKUS ) have been adorned in finery and decked in jewellery to resemble Durga,Lakshmi,Saraswathi.Karthik and Ganesha......It is Maha Shoshti today and my idols have come to life.....& .Sarbojoniyo Iyer Durgo Pujo welcomes you all :-)

OF IDLI BATTER AND GREY MATTER !

I could take a few lessons on time management .Whoa ! and I could give some tips on procrastination too.....and for this I shall take a leaf out of my grandma tales.

 Kannamani was a wheely working wonder.She was a well bred illiterate and yet exhibited some of the finest home and finance management techniques that could well qualify to enter the curriculum of a m

anagement course.

Krishnamoorthy was slow when compared to his deft moving better half Kannamani.....She was quick to react and respond to any given situation....a trait that Nayaki wishes to emulate today to keep in pace in this fast world.

It was in the seventys that Nayaki had a taste of the kind of smart labour ,that when put into use was effective in efficient management of time, along with proper completion of work with the optimum utilisation, of the limited resources available.

Those were the days when Kannamani ran the show ,alternatingly with a Kerosene stove and a mud chulha .The monthly provision included the cotton wicks and Kerosene was available in plenty across the ration counter.

Today we have connections with links that simplify our chores.In the absence of a gas connection or an induction stove and under austere conditions,Kannamani was making hay .

Nayaki vividly remembers the golden words "Dear girl !Always remember to boil water before cooking and keep hot water handy always.Soak rice and pulses in hot water...saves time on cooking and therefore fuel.Some vegetables can be cut and blanched....Just pour enough boiling water to cover the vegetables and your vegetable will be ready in a jiffy....Had Maggi been around those days,she would have devised means to boil down the cooking time to a few seconds...and I mean it.She was a rapid live wire.I remember her using the Rukmani Cooker,the functioning of which I have forgotten...Yet ! the lessons, that I learnt to work under pressure, hold me in good stead today.

Cleaning was not an onerous task too.The cooking done and the mouths fed,the vessels went below a running tap and then into a huge tub with hot soapy water...The final wash and the rinse was over in minutes.She never saw a dish washer in her lifetime.

Clothes met with a similar fate...though hot water was used judiciously only for the whites.The collars and cuffs got a scrub,the heavier clothes a whack ,a rinse and out they went under the scorchy sun for a pat dry.The precious colours were handled with care and they searched their way to a comfort zone of a cool shade...the hand wash regimen that seems so simple....Aah !I do not wish to even dream of such a task today.

All this and more,and with time to spare,Kannamani never missed her daily date with the Gods in the nearby temple,a long walk in the parks and the chatting session with her friends...Had she been around I guess she would have been online too.

I wonder if the Idli batter had anything to do with her grey matter....coz I can also recollect that stones rolled manually, to roll out a steady supply of batter every alternate day...though Mom kept saying "Too much of urad dal is not good for the brain.".....Funny !!!!!

I SEE COLOUR AND LIGHT AND I PRAISE HIM FOR THE GIFT OF SIGHT !

I asked her, " Please !Could you spare some time to create a small green patch outside my ground floor apartment ?'Rohini was busy in the garden and the nimble fingers went about deftly,planting fresh saplings neatly in a row.A group of young women worked day long for the upkeep of the beautiful lawn inside the office campus and Rohini was one of them.

I was seeing her for the first time.I asked her "Are you new to work ?"Without even caring to look up.she replied "Yes ! Madam...I am here since last week,she spoke in chaste Tamil.

Oh ! Madam ! I am a little busy these days.Please give me your contact address and I can offer my services during the weekend after Diwali.That's perfectly ok ! I said...

Stooping down,she bent her neck and went about her work very sincerely.Her hair was tied in a top knot and she replied to my queries without looking back at me.I did not wish to disturb her any more and I went my way.

It was the morning rush hour and the bank was doing brisk business.It was my routine visit to the bank...a cheque drop,a passbook update and the usual courtesy call...The manger is a good friend too and I dropped in to say a Hello.

"Advance Diwali wishes Sir !" I said..."So how are you doing ?I am fine ."he replied. "How are the Docs ?" he enquired..."They are doing good,I said and went on to ask,"Sir !Can you please do me a favour ? If you have no objection ,can I use the services of Rohini during the weekend ? I saw her working in your lawn and I am impressed.She is so agile and makes gardening seem so simple...I need to take a few classes from her."I said.

The manager smiled and said "Yes ! Maam ! She is a very good worker ,"and then went on to add..."Rohini is a very special woman with a great deal of self respect.She is more capable than most of us .She seems to have magic in her fingers....a very disciplined woman...a trait so uncommon amongst casual labourers." he added.....and went on and on in praise of the young woman....

As I listened he said...".Maam ! We see colour and light and we praise HIM....Rohini works in darkness and yet she sings hymns in HIS praise...Rohini is Blind and yet she sees sense...We have the gift of sight but do we really have the vision...the Manager asked ?

I was left speechless !!!!!!

YASHODA AND HER KANHAIYAS BOND BEAUTIFULLY !

Yashoda stared in disbelief."You will not do that,I hope you can understand, my little boy.".. she said.The little prankster was a hyperactive kid and kept Yashoda on her toes all day long.

As she gaped in awe and to her utter dismay,and before she could stop him,the lad hurriedly grabbed the pair of shoes lying nearby and flung it outside, from the 

third floor balcony.

As Rahul grinned mischievously,a seemingly innocent Gokul emerged out of the balcony.Yashoda was in tears and her little boys were jumping with glee..

"This is just one of the pranks that my boys are upto anytime of the day remarked Yashoda.I keep a close watch and I am always alert,"she said."They are blessed with a mechanical bent of mind ,remarked the young mother....and so I have placed most of my household appliances out of their reach," she added.

This is an excerpt of a conversation ,when I met Yashoda a few years ago."It is very difficult and yet pleasures of motherhood ,Aaaha." she said.

Two days ago and after a gap of nearly 10 years,I happened to meet Yashoda and her children at a function.I was thrilled.After all,it was a reunite with a close chum after so many years.

When her twin boys were 5 years old,her husband ,a bank officer was transferred further south.We kept in touch and wished one another on all occasions.I would enquire about the activities of her kids and she would say ,"Oh ! Thankfully they seem to be mellowing down with age...I had met the kids a couple of times and they were Oh ! so lovable."

Now,here I was meeting them again after a decade.It was a pleasant surprise and I spotted Yashoda first..."Oh ! How come you are here ?' I asked her."We have just been posted back to Chennai ,"she said and in the process of shifting ."she added."How are your little boys ?"I asked her..."Oh ! They are fine,grown up to be six footers and she pointed her fingers towards the two tall boys standing in one corner of the hall.

I was taken aback..."Who they ?I was not too sure,As we talked,the boys moved towards us and as they neared me,Yashoda introduced me to them..."Hey Please meet my sons Rahul and Gokul.They are fifteen years old."I was still in a state of disbelief ,but I was happy to meet them.

We chatted together and it was fun.The boys were cheerful just like the mother......Infact a carbon copy of the mom.Yashoda added..". Rahul aspires to be an aeronautical enbgineer and Gokul wishes to be a doctor."

"Please give me your address "I asked.Immidiately Rahul took out a pen from his pocket,brought out a paper and started writing with his left hand...."Is he left handed just like you ?I asked Yashoda..."Oh ! Yes ! and Gokul is right handed like his father.

The boys have taken after me in their looks and their Dad in their behaviour.

So what's new? you may all ask ?Well ! Nature never ceases to amaze us and when I came across the boys after so many years I was surprisedly stunned too.The persona revealed all the traits of Yashoda and here let me tell you,that, she is not their biological mother.Yashoda had adopted them as new borns and I was fully aware of that....

This is not the only case of adoption that I know amongst my close circle of friends..... What amazes me even more is the tremendous parent child bonding in all such relationships in the absence of the umblical link.

and I left the function with mixed feelings and unanswered questions....

DEAREST GRANDMOTHER ! WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE ? SAID THE GRANDFATHER !

Kausalya supraja rama purva sandhya........

With the soothing ,lilting melody of The Suprabatham in the background,Thangamma was lighting the kuthivillakku...Seated at the far end of the spacious living room was Kumarasamy,Thangam's toothless consort.Stretching his head out of the newspaper,he called out to his dear wife..."Adee Aye Thangammma.!..Where's my coffee ? Married for more than fifty years,the couple were forever at loggerheads.

Unperturbed,she walked silently towards the old man and placed the davara tumbler on the side table and walked away..

It was a busy morning..Earlier,at dawn,she had gone to the garden to pluck the Yerkam leaves..It was Ratha Sapthami on that day,the year 1964...

Kumarasamy called out again.." Thangamma...Our son-in-law has come.Please serve him breakfast.".Thangam's daughter Gnana lived close by and it was practise for the daughter and mother to exchange goodies especially sweets,bakshanam etc..On his way to work or back home the son-in-law Ramanthan would also drop in for a brief visit almost everyday...

"Chinni came yesterday from Calcutta.She will be here for a month..he said...

It was summer time as always,Chinni was at her parent's house in Secunderabad for a vacation...

Thangamma was overjoyed..."Please tell my granddaughter,that I will be coming to pick her up today eve..I am planning to attend a Sundara Kandam Parayanam..Please ask her to be ready by 5PM ," she added.

Saying that he would do the needful,Ramanathan left....Meanwhile Thangamma was busy.She went about the mundane chores in routine fashion.

Earlier in the morning,after taking a bath with yerukam leaves ,draped in a nine yard kanjeevaram,with diamonds as accessories,a big round vermillion on her forehead,she had prostrated in front of her husband Kumarasamy...Kumarasamy was stunned..He had even remarked..." THIS OLD WOMAN IS GOING BONKERS !

.

Short and slightly plump,Thangamma was fair complexioned and very beautiful...That is what everybody who has seen her have to say about her....

As planned,she was ready for the Sundara Kandam parayanam by 4PM...She informed Kumarasamy...."PaarunGo..I am going to attend a Sundara Khandam today evening.Please have dinner and go to bed.I will be late."...so saying she had left...

In five minutes,she was at her daughter's place...."Chinni ! she called out...Variya ?..ITHO AMMa varen,"Chinni came out beaming...She loved her maternal grandmother so...

Thangamma handed over a steel tiffin box to Gnanambal...Gnana..."I made Mysore Pak specially for you.Why don't you also come with us ?"

Gnana : ILLAMMA ,I have a lot of work to do...Saying Gnana stayed back...

The hall in Keyes High School was the venue for the Ram katha.Slowly Thangamma and Chinni managed to find a place in the front ..

.

The katha began and the viewers listened in rapt attention..Thangamma was elated and she closed her eyes...Chinni was happy too..The parayanam lasted for nearly three hours..

The mangala aarathee had just begun when Chinni patted on her shoulder and called out." Thangamma...Its nine PM..Shall we go home ?"..Thangamma was still seated with her eyes closed...Chinni called out again.." Chella ThangOn pogalama ? 

There was no response..A panic stricken,Chinni held on to her with both her hands ,shook her and then Thangamma's head drooped down....

By then a crowd had gathered around the two...Sensing the situation a doctor present in the hall arrived..He checked the pulse of Thangamma and declared her dead...

The world had crumbled in front of her eyes..Chinni was very attached to her grandmother.She was inconsolable...

An hour later,with Thangamma by her side,Chinni reached home...Kumarasamy was fast asleep...He was shaken up from slumber and news was broken to him....He said in tears "Why is this woman prostrating to me early in the morning,I had wondered..he said his voice choked  ......Thangaammma You have left me alone in this world..How will I survive without you ? he had cried and then slowly withdrew into a shell,,,,,,,,so says Nayaki's mother Chinni...The ever growling .Kumarasamy died a couple of years later...as a silent forlorn and a helpless recluse...

MA ! WHEN WILL YOU GROW UP ?

She is here with me for the past one month and mind you not a single day has passed without frequent exchanges of diverging views.If I see eastwards,she is bound north,south or west.Well ! we open our mouths to argue with one another and neither she nor me will ever relent.

At break of dawn,when the aroma of the brew is spreading, the war of words begin.In the midst of every minor skirmish,we part ways after a few minutes .Very soon we are so engrossed in our respective activities that we forget for what we had squabbled Peace has reigned yet again...

She is old enough not to listen to me and I am old enough ,not to stop giving a piece of my mind.Advice I see it, as a piece of one's mind that one loves to give to those who either do not need it or to those who are not going to abide by it anyway.In the heat of any altercation,I always forget that I love to give away generously the piece of my mind,without retaining a bit for myself.She pointed out this to me the other day and went on to say."If that's so simple why don't you do it,"she had said...and I was just requesting her to fill the empty water bottles.....or was it something else. ???????Huh !!!!!

Advice goes unheeded.Its pointless telling her..You are going to be responsible in somebody's home one day.."Ha ! that's what your mom told you , right ! and that your mom will not be at your back to take care of your needs..Right !!!!!.I can manage myself,she will retort promptly... 

She speaks for me and she also replies on her own behalf..Well ! I will not be surprised if she comes up with something like...."Do you think I am going to confine myself to the four walls ." No way ,dear," I will say....

Yet ! She will be an able homemaker I know I know...

"Did i question her ? No I do not think so.I am not so naive.I will not dictate terms to a twenty one year old...or maybe I did !" I wonder.

"Bouts of amnesia perhaps,"saying I comfort myself..

But she sure drives me crazy.."Why the heck was she justifying her arguments? Oh !I must have posed a few silly questions,I muse....Nevertheless she is also entitled to air her opinion ,I thinketh....

Its been a month ,I told you.She is ready to leave.Duties of internship beckon her.Now she will hug and kiss me GM and GN.She will make my coffee .She will cut veggies and clean the cupboards.She will lend a helping hand and the ears too.Do I look good in this kurtee,she will ask me.You are the best,she will say.You are working so hard.You are awesome.Love your cooking...Can we go shopping ,she will ask. Pleaaaaaaaaaaase come with me to the tailor,she will say..I need a pair of slippers.Can you select tops for me ?.. 

At night,she will embrace me tight and cuddle up beside me.....and say Ma ! I will miss you......Love you Ma !!!!!!!