The Bhagirathi Trail

It was the Nineteen thirties.A short statured bespectacled young man had moved into the city of joy along with his newly wed wife Kannamani.The demure lady barely sixteen was draped in nine yards of traditional Kanjeevaram silk with diamonds to complement.A big vermillion dot on the forehead marked the little girl as a woman,The couple were strangers to the land of the Bhagirathi and a migration from a conservative village down south was unheard of in those days.The young man had broken the shackles of convention & had reached the city defying all odds..He was a graduate and a Gold Medallist in Cost Accountancy.The coy bride had never seen the light of school .She spoke only chaste Tamil and he spoke English with a heavy Southie twang.It marked the beginning of a glorious period in the Krishnamurthy family and the evolution of the Tambongs.They had come in search of greener pastures & a home.....a home for generations to follow.........

Dreams 'n' Drapes

The ambience is perfect and the live shoot is on.The location is a saree boutique at T.Nagar in the heart of Chennai.I am absolutely normal....as normal as any other Indian woman and I can spend hours in the midst of a saree pile and experience the sublime.The scene at the outlets go to prove this and more.The six yard is a woman's best friend and I am proud of my national attire.Pretty women invade the counters and the helpless boys are a happy lot.Ever wondered why most shops here have men guarding the saree counters ???Now you know why....& why some even have faithful toothless gaping oldies showing off the colourful drapes.Dressed in  delightful weaves the gorgeous women walk the floor and admire themselves in the huge mirrors adorning the walls.The seller sure knows how to attract the fairer folk and entice them.Inflation never seems to matter here and the DA increase enough to help me shop without major guilt pangs.As I leave for work the next day,I admire my collection and yet i am dissatisfied..My cupboard cries for help as I pull out a crisp cotton and I SIGH!!!! How I wish I were born in a Nalli or Kumaran family!!!!!!

Its a typical morning in an Iyer joint family.The year is 2010 and mankind has made a giant leap in the field of technology.The alarm in her mobile prompts her to get up & she wakes up to the strong smell of camphor, incense & the soothing melody of Rama Nama.Its 5AM... her day has begun and  had started much earlier for the senior citizens of the house who unmindful of the changing scenario will not leave a stone unturned in carrying out the daily rituals with religious fervour.The aroma of the filter coffee is an intoxication & the kick needed to kick off.The courtyard swept and cleaned,the kitchen now awaits her. As she wait for her Fairy Godmother to make her appearance ,she is already halfway ..the vegetables cut and the cooking on under strict guidelines...."Thou shall not cook without bathing,thou shall not taste the food at the time of cooking,thou shall not touch cooked items & milk products at the same time,thou shall not carryover food into the refriegerator,thou shall not waste food ....& thou shall be a strict vegetarian."The food is offered to the Gods & the crow gets the first mouthful.The Iyer Fare is now ready to be served....