I went to attend a relative’s wedding in a suburb of TVM in a peak summer. After the Janwasam and night food on the previous night, I found the big hall earmarked as bedroom for us was already occupied by elders, mostly women, and in a few vacant slots under fans, the Sasthapreethi goers had … Read more
When Megh took me to the clinic of the Urologist along with my PSA result, for the first time, Sometime in the mid last year, he staff at the counter asked her, before registration, ‘he, the patient?’. I looked behind me to know whom she was referring to. None was there. ‘ Then, me, … Read more
Athai ( aunt, not any aunt, only father’s sister) and mama ( uncle, not any uncle, mother’s brother) represent two important relationship in the paternal and maternal sides, respectively, in our families. The VAdhyAr, before calling for aarati to conclude any function at home, invites athai and mama, for their blessings. In the olden days, … Read more
I went to attend a relative’s wedding in a suburb of TVM in a peak summer. After the Janwasam and night food on the previous night, I found the big hall earmarked as bedroom for us was already occupied by elders, mostly women, and in a few vacant slots under fans, the Sasthapreethi goers had … Read more
Bright Sun, long awaited ; I’m back to my favorite deck, our open air theater! If not now, when will my poetry bud? ———- A warm welcome to the God of warmth You were waiting for me to get up, Not one day, but every day, With handful of gold coins To shower on … Read more
“What is your opinion, generally, about me, Ammalu?” “Very good” “Will you tell this to your mom?” “No” “Why?” “Her opinion, already about you, is very very good” “That additional ‘very’ doesn’t appear be good for me, Ammalu” “That exactly was the reason why I didn’t tell her my opinion about you” “Very, very … Read more
The sky is about fall on your head. Can you do anything about it? Yes, I can. I will move to left, right, front, back. Man, it is not a kite or crow drop that is falling. It is the sky. Wherever you go, it will fall on your head. Can you do anything? … Read more
Jamuns take back to childhood days There was a jamun tree, in the timber storage yard behind our house at Olavakkode. It belonged to Janab Unnikkammu Saheb. He was only Unnikkamu but when he became a rich business man, his name expanded with a prefix and suffix. There was a mosque and an elementary school … Read more
Poverty is unbearable. Absolute poverty is absolutely unbearable. Only those who suffered poverty themselves will understand the suffering of others. I remember these two lines from a Malayalam poem, which convey this message: ദാരിദ്രമെന്നുള്ള തറിഞ്ഞ വർക്കേ പാരിൽ പര ക്ലേശ വിവേകം ഉള്ളു Daaridramennulatharinjavarkkae Paaril paraklesa vivekamullu. Many families have survived with only Kanji, the semi liquid … Read more
‘Ammalu, how many languages your mother knows, one, two?’ ‘How many you know?’ ‘Eight. Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil. 3 ok? Three European languages. And in Samskritham, I’m a scholar’ ‘You are a hero of languages and a big zero in totaling. My mother will tell you, 3+3+1= 7 and not 8′ ————————— Ammalu, I have finally … Read more