“Thunder showers soak Hyderabad city” – news paper report this morning.
We, in Habsiguda Central Park area had only thunder and lightning, but no showers but I enjoyed the thunder sound, lightning flashes and strong wind waves. I Was in fact excited, when the night sky’s mood suddenly changed sending down cool wind, giving unexpected relief from the hot waves.
The power supply went off. I lighted a candle, pulled out a chair, sat outside to enjoy the bliss.
‘Anna, idi idikkarthu, ullae vaa!’, warned my brother Vicha. He wanted me to get inside fearing that I might get stuck by lightning. I didn’t move an inch. I was enjoying the changed mood of the sky.
‘How nice it would be if I could die now! All my responsibilities are over’. I thought, ‘of course, Vicha is there; God will take care of him’ .
It is no my habit to worry about my death; somehow, I believe it is not applicable to me! But, now the condition was so favorable, attractive, to quit for ever!
I thought I was thinking but I expressed my desire, rather loudly which reached the unusually sharp ears of the obese woman in the opposite side, who screamed, ‘ullae odipom, pavi Brahmana! Omma thalaelae idivizunthu ennavathu aana, enakku pochu- rush inside you sinful Brahmin. If struck by lightening, something happens to you, I will be the loser!’
Instantly, my desire to quit the world vaporized. Here is a lady, may be fat, but still charming, who will miss me, if I quit’
I got up from the chair and shouted, ‘Paru, you will be the loser! How on earth?’.
I longed to hear from her a long lecture or even a poetry from Changanpuzha’s love story, Ramanan or a cinema dialogue or at least the tamil cinema song:
‘PokAthae, pokAthae en kanava! ‘ though I’m not her kanavan, husband.
But crisp was her reply.
‘Dosai chattuvam!’
Her dosa ladle is with me! I had borrowed it and forgot to return!
For women, their kitchen vessels are more important than anything else including the sacred life of a sadhu in the opposite house!