After two months, a post and an award!

Well, Two months go off without a new post in my blog! I really should not blame this on any one or any thing! It has been my fault. I should have found time to write posts but I didn't do that! And here I come back with a "Self-Boasting" post!

These are the questions from Panchali Bolchi mam! 

• Are you a morning person or night owl?

 Morning person!

• What is your favorite genre of music?

 Rap and Melody!

• What is your favorite hobby?

 Novels and Sleeping! (Isn't that a pastime?)

• Do you own any pets? If so, what kinds?

 My family has a pet! It's me :P

• How do you motivate yourself to exercise?

 I don't motivate and I so I don't exercise :P

• If you could move to any other city in the world, where would it be?

 Chennai and Chennai only!

• Something you learned recently...

 Never lose your self-esteem!

• What is your favorite season of the year?

 Winter!

• What was your favorite childhood toy..?

 I don't remember any toys mam :D

• Why did you start a blog?

 To put forth my opinions!

• Which electronic device you cannot live without...?

 Cell phone (that's obvious I guess)

I have come back to the present after this questionnaire I guess! :P And other rule is to nominate some fellow bloggers! Here is the most difficult part! I am neither a great blogger nor a regular one to nominate! So I am leaving that part alone! I thanks Panchali mam a lot for this memorable award! 

Phasmopobhic fellow!

Everyone has fear for one thing or the other. And there are many out there who have this fear. Fear of Ghosts! The fear of ghosts is called Phasmophobia! Almost all of us would have had that fear in our childhood and some may have come out of it and some may have not. Some may oscillate between these two categories. 

At bright day times (and a very few nights), these type of persons talk courageous things, they contradict the existence of ghosts and they also tell stuffs like "There can be no evil spirits near our home which is an abode of Gods!". At nights, they are afraid even to go to a dark room alone in the same house telling stuffs like "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So if God exists, there exist evil spirits."

There is another category of people. They die of fear inside (irrespective of the time of the day) but never show them outside. I feel proud to tell you that I belong to this group of people. If you people are curious to know whether you belong here, answer the following questions! Let us consider that there are more than two people who sleep in a bedroom and you are one of them. 

Do you feel awkward going to the rest room around midnight which is located away from your bedroom?

Do you put on all the lights on the way to restroom at nights?

As soon as you switch off the last light before entering the bedroom, do you run to your bed instead of walking?

Do you sometimes wake someone purposely but act like you didn't do it when you wanna walk alone around the night?

Do you ever look in the mirror at nights out of fear that a ghost might be laughing at you from a corner or just behind your back?

Do you pull your bed sheet right from head to toe out of fear?

Do you have trouble sleeping after seeing a scary movie?

Do you ever feel a bit frightened seeing an old, dilapidated house?

Do you ever run fast on an empty or dark street? 

If your answer is 'yes' for any one of the above, then you have the same fear which I have! Welcome aboard! I thought I could share an experience with you, a hilarious one!

It was a Sunday night. I have CAT class at Adayar from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. On that day I went to my uncle's home after the class and was returning late. I had parked my vehicle in the front of MIT and to reach my vehicle, I got to walk around 3/5th of a kilometer. It was a vacation and the campus had an eerie silence. I got down at Chromepet and walked towards MIT. The watchmen as usual started his lengthy inquiry. I always wondered if he were a retired policeman and spent his life inquiring innocent people all his life. I had an awful time explaining him that I was the student of CEG which is a.k.a Anna University main campus.

"Show me your ID!" I took it from my pocket and showed him. He plucked it from my hand and examined it.

"Why did you go out?"

"I had CAT.. MBA class!"

"Why are you here during the vacation?"

"I am a student of CEG, Anna University main campus."

"Then what is this campus?"

"This is Anna University annex."

"Oh! So why are you here?"

"I am residing near the college and I have parked my vehicle here!"

"Oh! Is your name Harikrishna?"

"Isn't that there in the card?"

"Yeah!" He grinned.

I started walking towards the other gate. I was in my vacation and so I have watched many films. And I watched two ghost films the previous day. One was Pizza and other was Talaash. I didn't feel fear or clumsiness while or after watching it but this lonely MIT road rekindled my fear. I kind of started remembering the ghost scenes. And the most irritating things in MIT at night are these street dogs and I do really hate them at nights. There are two roads in MIT from one gate to other. One is so lonely and dark where there is a huge possibility of a ghost landing right before me and slapping hard and the other is well-lit and is full of dogs. I gotta take decision and it was real hard. I was forced to take a decision between the devil and the deep blue sea. I thought, "Naaya? Peyaa?" (Ghosts? or dogs?). I didn't wish to imagine the dogs chasing me in pairs and so I took a bold, gruesome decision. "Pei" (Ghosts)!

MIT road

 Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman

I took the dark, ghostly road. I chose the devil literally! The road was well-lit initially and illumination decreased exponentially with the distance. Fear took its root in me as I just put my foot on the first shades of darkness. Nothing but pitch dark and eerie silence accompanied me and rarely a shrill sound. I used my cell phone light as a torch and moved forward with deathly fear in my heart. Suddenly, I heard a dog howling at its full strength and for a moment it seemed like a soul crying in distress somewhere near me. I turned back to see the condition. Very far away, I saw a yellow light and 2 figures chatting. They must be watchmen. If not? My fear blazed within me.

I have heard a story. And let me tell its conclusion straight away. Never turn back when you are walking alone in a pitch black area for there might be a burnt, scarred devil coming towards you. And don't ever think to turn if you hear someone calling your name. The ghosts do that kind of stuff. They call you by your name in the dark places, you turn back and they will kill you! These things along with the faces of the ghosts from the movies went on and on in my mind. The dog's howl was replaced by crickets' chirping.

I was walking past a partially built building when I noticed something moving beside me. I was startled and was almost dead for a second. But later found that it was a mongoose which run and hid among the bushes seeing me. It seemed that the mongoose was afraid of me. Wasn't I afraid too? Each of the two was afraid of the other. A complicated situation. I walked past the tents of the workers and I became bold for a few minutes and again fear encircled me as the darkness started. Then I heard something. 

The building

Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman

"Harikrishna!" 

I was startled. I wasn't sure what I heard! One thought was that it was my imagination and other was that it might be a ghost. Oh My God! Then I heard it again.

"Harikrishna!" 

It went on for many times each separated by a few seconds.

"Harikrishna!" 

Though I was sure that I must not turn back, my curiosity took the better of me. At a distance, I saw a figure coming towards me. It was almost running and then I looked at my feet almost immediately and realized that I too was running. That figure ran towards me shouting my name and I turned around a corner. I looked back again and was happy to notice that the figure wasn't there. And again I saw it. I ran, ran, ran and ran and reached the other gate where I had parked my vehicle. And I noticed that there was only a single light near the entrance. The shops on the adjacent street were closed as it was a Sunday. I noticed a watchman hearing radio and I thought it was wise to run to him rather than to the vehicle. I have heard that ghosts will chase regardless of your speed when you are alone. So I went near the watchman. 

The yelling continued.

"Harikrishna!" 

"Ghost!" I yelled. The watchman in front of me laughed.

"Sir, he isn't a ghost!"

"Please help me out of here! Save me!"

"Sir, it’s the watchman!"

"How the hell did he know my name then?" I looked puzzled.

By then, that figure reached me. He was the same watchman who inquired me a few minutes back.

"Sir! You didn't take back your ID card sir! And I saw your name in it and came running behind you shouting your name! You made me run the whole campus!" 

"You made my heart run leap out of my body!"

"Excuse me sir? I don't understand you!"

"Aaahhh! Nothing!"

I sighed and felt a huge relief. After all, ghosts don't exist. Do they? I became courageous again seeing the people around me.

Le Rice Upma!

It was another usual day of my college. I had a lecture and a lab in the morning session. I definitely need a separate post to tell you about the labs and the lectures in our college which I will probably do it later. After that we had that most expected hour, the lunch! The lunch period as we used to call it in our school days, which later changed to lunch break in our college period, has been the most welcomed period in the life of the students. The lunch period not only gave us the required break from those hectic sleepy classes but also various other possibilities which we are likely to discover during our own lunch periods. These breaks must have certainly molded several people to what they are today. These gifted times midst the routine activities help us develop our personality traits and the other characters needed to face this challenging life.

Coming to that day in my college, our gang (some 7 or 8 who hail from from my area) assembled for the lunch in the famous Sundial of our college. We were discussing about the morning sessions and each of us told the way our classes happened. It led to various useless, frivolous talks (it usually does) including movies, friends, games, buses etc. We usually behave like highly qualified critics and we don't leave out any area in which are interested. We gradually gave in to the topic of food. I asked each one about the food item they despised the most. Each one mentioned their own dislikes. The girls had several items in their hatred list and they took so long to finish their list which we had no option but to listen with patience. There was brinjal, puri, sambar, beetroot, and lady’s finger and so on. We all had this non-vegetarian items as a common disliked item for we all the tambrahms. And then it was my turn. 

"Oh! I asked this and I didn't think of an item! What do I despise the most?" I wondered.

"Hey, you are supposed to be the Bhima of this gang. How come you can despise an item?" one of my friends mocked.

"Oh does that supposed to be funny? It didn't. Better luck next time!" I gave him back.

"So what do you hate?" asked another. 

"Hmm! Wait...." 

(After a few seconds)

"Yeah got it! How can I forget! It's the Arisi Upma (Rice cake)! I despise it! I hate it! Yuck!" I exclaimed.

"What? I too don't like!" said one.

"I like it a lot!" claimed other.

"I also like it! Being a Tambrahm how can you hate it?" shouted one more.

"I neither like nor hate the upma." told the other.

And I found it happy that there is at least one who has my taste in hating upma. And what do I hate in it? Well! To be frank, I don't know why I hate it but I do hate it. A huge number of variations of Upma are made with whole or refined ground wheat and rice of varied grain size, vermicelli, Durum wheat semolina or pearl sago. A wide range of vegetables may be added, and may be garnished with a variety of beans (raw or sprouted), cashew and peanuts. For a variation called masala upma (known as 'Kharabath' in Karnataka), sambar masala or garam masala is added along with red chilli powder, instead of green chillies. This is what the Wikipedia defines Upma! I don't dislike all these types but only the type made of rice. But the fate is that my mom and sister find it too much palatable to eat and that alone marks the end of my fate.

And the lunch got over as soon as it usually does. The afternoon session was only for 2 hours and about 4 of us started together to home. We were talking throughout the journey in bus and train. We reached MIT in Chromepet where we took our vehicles and started. It was one of the others who started this idea of eating Pani puri in a stall. All the four but for me accepted to eat. I usually think once or twice before eating outside. I was in a confused state whether to eat out or not. I had this greedy tongue (that is why they should have called me Bhima!) which took the better of me. They also persuaded me in eating outside. I actually love Pani puri and all these road side shop items. That was when my mother called me asking where I was. I told that I was in MIT and she told me to come home and eat the Tiffin she had prepared, not to eat anything outside. Then I remembered that I had told my mom to prepare some delicious Tiffin for the evening. I told a "wow" and cut the call. Then I turned to my friends.

"Hey, I am sorry. My mom has Tiffin prepared for me."

"So what da? Have a plate of pani puri and go home and eat what your mom has prepared!"

"No da. If I eat here, I will not eat properly at home. My mom might scold me after all she has prepared the Tiffin only for me."

"Atleast have half a plate! That is not going to full your stomach! C’mon!"

"Nope! And also that I have 10 rupees only which will not suffice!"

"Arey! No problem, I shall sponsor you!"

"No da! I am leaving home! You guys have fun!"

"Ok atleast spend time with us till we eat and leave stupid!"

"Hmm yeah okay!"

He punched me in my stomach. We went to our regular place and we ordered. We knew the shopkeeper well that he asked me why I didn't eat. I explained him that my mom had Tiffin ready for me at home! I also thought why all these people were persuading me today. They offered me a piece. I declined their offer. 

"Hey have at least a piece!"

"It’s ok! You guys have!"

"Hey leave him! Let him be hungry! Let him go home and find nothing to eat!"

"Hey why are you cursing you stupid? My mom has everything ready! Go to hell!"

After sometime we left the place and I headed straight to home.

"Amma! I am starving! Please give me the Tiffin!" 

"Go wash your face and come!"

"Cha! Ok!" 

"I have kept it on the table. Eat it!" 

I came eagerly to the hall and found my dish covered with a plate! I greedily opened the plate and..........

Yes! It was Arisi Upma! My friend's curse went true! My mom forgot that I despise Arisi Upma! There's a proverb in Tamil whose translation goes like this: No matter how hungry the tiger is, it'll not eat grass. I too did the same! Lol! I didn't eat it and I starved the whole evening.

I told all of them the next day and everybody laughed during the entire lunch break. I had no option but to smile idiotically. 

Image: Wikipedia

Moral: Never decline an offer to eat because you have something at home to eat. After all, you might end up like me!

Lord Rama shines in Ramayana so do I in Hariyana!!!

I can proudly put in my Karma book, which might lead me to heaven or hell, that I too have lived the efficacious life of Lord Ramachandra! Are you curious? Do you badly want to hit me for comparing my life to that of the greatest hero in the Hindu mythology? Do you want to pray Yama personally to give me hell for the analogy of Lord Rama’s life? I will give you one more statement to do the above more hardly! I live the life of Lord Rama everyday!

Well, I can prove it! So let’s start with the life of the lord Himself. According to the Kambar, the poet who composed the prestigious Kambaramayana, there are six chapters in the life of the lord. In Tamil language, the chapters are referred to as Kandas. There are six such Kandas. Bala Kandam, Ayodhya Kandam, Aranya Kandam, Kishkintha Kandam, Sundara Kandam, Yutha Kandam.

I hereby assume that all of you who read this know the great epic. If not please refer here. And let me start the comparison under the blessings of lord Rama.

First of all, I study at College of Engineering, Guindy which is at a distance of 15 Kms from my home. I reside at Chromepet. I use four modes of transport to reach college every day. Bike, Bus, Train and Walk/Run.

BalaKandam: (Home Chapter)

Lord Rama lived a luxurious, sorrow-free life in this chapter of Ramayana. He had the love of his mother, the protection of his father, the respect of the citizens, the trust of his brothers and the blessings of the Lord. He was indeed born with a silver spoon, in a bed of roses.

So, I am daily woken up my dad and my mother immediately offers me a cup of coffee or tea after brushing. I start getting ready for my college in a lethargic manner. My sister helps me in my preparation of the notes and books to be taken. These three do everything for me. Preparing my breakfast and lunch, Ironing my shirt, taking my bike to the gate from the parking lot. The parking lot is 5 feet from the gate! I ride my bike from home to MIT which is nearly 2Kms from my home. This isn’t a luxurious life?!

Ayodhya Kandam: (MIT Chapter)

He was trained by the family Guru Sage Vashishtar and occasionally by other sages. Once Sage Vishvamitra took him to a deep ghostly forest to watch out for demons and he started performing some kind of Tapa. He with his brother Lakshmana guarded the sage and killed the demon Tadagai using the divine astras. Then he went on to defeat other demons like Marichan and Subaghu and he married Sita after breaking the famous, powerful Shiva bow! This period of his life showed his strength as a Kshatriya and a man’s valor.

So, I was trained to ride my bike by a great sage (Myself!) during my ninth standard. I usually ride through the bumpy roads causing my spine to twist and break like a kaimurkku which my grandma usually prepares for me. And not to forget, there are always aunties and uncles who trigger me to apply brakes and pull words from my mouth. These bumpy roads and the citizens give me rigorous training for me to face the demon who awaited me at MIT. It’s the college near railway station where I usually park my vehicle. This supposed to be a great college has two gates, one near the station (Hostel Gate) and the other (Main Gate) a few hundreds of meters away from it. One needs to cross the main gate and reach the parking lot near the hostel one and hence forth reach the station easily. I am a lazy guy yet a daft person. As I near the college’s main gate, I usually peek in looking for demons (The watchmen). Actually you must have a BLUE colour sticker pasted in your vehicle to be allowed inside. If you have no sticker or a red one, you must park it near the main gate and not near the hostel gate. You got it. I have a red one. And I fight these demons using the verbal astra and trespass the road to hostel gate. Sadly sometimes I get caught. I have to answer the senior most demons yet park near the main gate and walk till the station. I usually read novels or newspapers if I get caught and have to walk. Isn't this a training period?

Aranya Kandam: (Station Chapter)

Now Lord Rama after the training goes to forest because of Kaikeyi. He walked through the forests most of the time. He lives peacefully there for some time and loses Sita to the treachery of Maricha. He searched for her impatiently asking every tree, pond, animal there. He wanted to find her somehow. He found Jatayu and learned about the kidnapping of Sita and buried him. He kept on wandering through the dense forests reaching south from north.

So I, after the successful trespassing of MIT, park my vehicle and walk slowly to the station. The road to the station from MIT also looks like a path in a forest. But I lose my train to the treachery of time. When in India do the buses and trains come in time? I run to the station and ask everyone there about the time of arrival of the next train. I usually end up seeing some acquaintance or a bestie of mine and learn about the next train. No, I don’t bury him (:P)!! I keep wandering on the platform from the bench to the edge of the platform and watch for the next train.

Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman

Kishkintha Kandam: (Train Chapter)

Lord Rama on the advice of a sage reached Rishyamuga parvam and meets Sugriva and Hanuman. Initially he and Lakshmana were mistaken as the enemies by the vanaras. Later they understood that they were otherwise. He killed Vali as Sugriva requested, thereby earning the trust of Sugriva. Hanuman and Sugriva became close to the lord and they promised to help him in finding Sita. Rama and Lakshmana took rest after several days of travel. Hanuman and others set on a voyage to the south of the Indian Ocean to find Sita.

So I, after hearing the train horn, stand up and walk near the edge of the platform. Initially I mistake it to be too crowded seeing young chaps hanging out. Later I find that these are hyper youths who want to show off their special (!!) talents to the public and there is enough space inside for me to sit. I sit in a place killing my breath and cough to earn the trust of the person beside me. The train gets crowded in the next few stations and I start reading a book to relax after such tiring encounters. I bend every time low to check if my destination has come. The person sitting near the window promises to tell me when the station comes. And I get down at Guindy and walk towards the bus stop.

Image: Google Images

Sundara Kandam: (Bus stop Chapter)

Here Our Lord has no other work except to wait for the arrival of Hanuman. He waited patiently. In the mean time, Hanuman went to Lanka and found Sita. He got Kanaiyazhi from her and fought with the Ravanan’s mob and returned to Rama. He happily announced that he had found Sita. Lord Rama embraced him. But Hanuman said that they had a great deal of people to fight to get Sita back. Rama announced, “WAR!”

So I, after coming out of the railway station go to the bus stop and wait patiently for the bus to come. The M21G or the M119B which starts from Guindy usually stands near the corner. The bus drivers and the conductors have their cups of tea and little chats before starting the bus. I have no other option but to wait. I wait patiently looking at my watch. When I see the sight of the bus, I rejoice like a small child seeing its dad. But usually the buses to Anna University from Guindy are so free that we will be crushed inside the bus!!! But I will make a strong determination to board it in-spite of the huge crowd. I announce, “BOARD!”

Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman

Yutha Kandam: (Bus Chapter)

Lord Rama and the vanaras crossed the mighty ocean by constructing a controversial bridge and reached Ceylon. They fought with the Lankans bravely with honor  One of the Lankans, Vibhishna came to the Lord and announced that he would be with the Lord there after. He surrendered to the Lord. They also fought back. Indrajit knocked down the Lord and his brother by using Nagasthra. Hanuman flew to the mountains on the advice of Jambhavan and brought back the Sanjeevi Mountains and helped them regain consciousness. After a great deal, they won the war and rescued Sita.

So I, after boarding the bus, somehow manage to stand on one leg. I fight a number of people to get a place to keep my other leg down. They too fight back bravely. The Lankans here (the co-passengers) surrender to me for I am strong than most of them. The huge people with orca fat knock me down with their powerful boulders. The conductor gets down from his seat to give tickets to the people in front and thereby giving me a place to sit. He helps me regain my composure. After a great deal, I get down from the bus. And I am lucky enough to be here alive to tell you my great life after travelling in those numerous buses!

Image: Google Images

Pattabishekam: (Next? Rest)

After the victory, everyone reached Ayodhya and they celebrated Rama’s Pattabishekam. And there is a myth that Lakshmana went to sleep straightly since he had to guard Rama without sleeping in his last 14 years.

So I, after getting down from the bus victoriously, I retire to the famous Sundial of my college and take rest there since I had to guard my purse and cell without relaxing in my last 1.4 hrs.

Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman

Now tell me, Should not I put in my Karma book that I too have lived the life of our greatest hero? Thank you! I know your reaction! Jai Shri Ram!

No! No Jais for me :D

Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman

Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman

Those few breath-taking moments!

He was sitting silently on the wooden bench.

His eyes were transfixed on a book in his lap.

He was thinking whether to look at her or not.

He had already looked at her twice without getting caught.

He escaped her eyes twice.

He thought that it was time for another.

He decided to look up from his book.

He was caught this time while looking into her eyes..

He immediately returned his gaze to the pages of the book.

She also started looking at him.

She fixed her gaze on him.

She stopped her troll and stood at a place standing in a placid manner.

She thought it was time to question him.

She had a mixed feelings.

She didn't notice him for the first two times.

She caught his eyes staring at her the third time.

She definitely wanted to ask him and so pointed at him as she didn't know his name.


She knew that he wouldn't look up from his book and asked his friend who was sitting by his side to call him.

That friend told him, "Hari, She has been pointing at you for a long time. See her. I think she has caught you looking at her. She might ask you something."

Then he mumbled, "No, I don't have an answer!"

There was sweat dripping down his face and beading on his neck out of excitement and fear.

There was a shivering in him at this hot hour of the day.

There settled an eerie silence in the place. It was disturbing him.

There was a rumbling sound arising from his stomach.

There the eyes met. It was a wonderful thing.

Then came out a shrill voice with a question. He was taken aback. He had no answer. He didn't know the end.

"What is the common name for Sodium Bicarbonate?"

Bloody name please!

This post is going to be a drama! Watch out for dialogues!

Amma to Vasudev: Dei Vasudeva, Go for that marriage da. Its next weekend only and you 'll be free here. Attend please!
Vasudev: No amma, I am not going. Do not compel me.

(Phone rings)

Vasudev: Hello
Dad: Hello Vasudev, One person wants to speak to you! Find out who it is!

(Oh not again! His dad has this habit of giving the phone to a person whom he is supposed to identify!)

Vasudev: Appa! No, not again please. Tell his name and give him the phone. Appa!

(Silence. He finds out that the phone is being handed to some one else!)
The person: Hi Thambi, How are you?
Vasudev: I am fine... (What should be his age?) Uncle! How are you? 

(From now on the author has decided to call "The person" as "Uncle".)

Uncle: Yeah pa. I am fine too. Can you recognize me? You must have seen me in your childhood.
(Here comes the catastrophe! Oh you seem to know that I have seen you in my childhood and yet you are asking this! I would have hit you in your face if you had been in front of me!)
Vasudev: Aaaahhh... Hmmmm... Errrr..

Uncle to Dad: It seems he doesn't remember me! I will tell him my name!
Dad: Don't tell him! He definitely would not have forgotten your name. May be he could not recognize your voice! I will give him a hint!

(Shit! They are playing with me!)

Dad: Dei, You remember the uncle who amma often used to talk about?
Vasudev: Which one? Mamma speaks about a lot!
Dad: Dei that uncle who used to mock you in your childhood days. You used to tell "Thakali" as "Kathali" and "kappal" as "Pakkal".
Vasudev: Oh! Him! 

(Shit!)

Uncle: Happa! You remember me! You still misspell "kathali" for Thakali"? Hahaha!
(Aiyooo!)
Vasudev: No uncle! For God's sake I am twenty years old! You still expect me to misspell words? No uncle!
Uncle: Just Kidding! ........... (Talking)

After 10 mins,

Uncle: (Talking)

After 30 mins,

Uncle: (Talking)

After one hour,

Uncle: Ok bye! I have talked for an hour but it seems like ten minutes. I will come to Chennai next weekend! I will meet you then!
Vasudev: Bye uncle!

(Hangs down the receiver)

Vasudev to amma: Next weekend I am leaving for that marriage to Madurai!

(I must never attend my dad calls here after. Even if I attend, I should cut the phone immediately if he passes it to a person without telling me his bloody name!)

Bang bang bang

There I was sitting in front of the computer seeing and enjoying The Big Bang Theory in a hot summer evening. I am always amused by the explanatory statements of Dr. Sheldon Cooper. I was trying to imitate his style of knocking one's door for the past few days.

("[knock knock knock] Penny! [knock knock knock] Penny! [knock knock knock] Penny!" being the most common).

There was a similar on my door then.

"[knock knock knock] Hari! [knock knock knock] Hari! [knock knock knock] Hari!"

It was my mom. I asked her what it was. She replied that she had some errands to run and that she needed me to take her out. I prayed God that that should not be another dress-purchase job. I had never felt anything else so awkward, dumb or idiotic than go to a textile shop. I switched off my system, put my shirt on and came out. I asked her where we were going. She said that she would tell me on the way. I then had little idea that a collateral damage awaited me. We were past the familiar streets of our neighborhood.

"Drive to Seeman textiles!" said my mom.
"What?!! Oh My Holy God! Shit!"

I applied sudden brakes. My mom gave a hysterical villain smile. I knew somehow that that was going to be yet another dumb dress-purchase.

"Why didn't you tell me before starting?" I asked.

"Drive!" A monosyllabic reply.

We came to the shop and yes, I have a fear of shops. For Goodness' sake, I did bring my headset. I put it on and started listening to some music.

"Aren't you coming inside?"

"No Way!"

"Okay!"

[It's too late to apologize... Its too late... hoo-hah... ]

I noticed the shop opposite to which I was standing. It was a snack shop. There was a customer standing and complaining about the size of the samosa. "It is too small and so I'll pay only Rs.2 for each and not Rs.3" and I started laughing.

[Kodana kodi athil kulipom...]

"Please move your vehicle sir. I need to park mine."

I got down and lifted it and moved it aside.

[Waka waka eh eh...]

"Please move your vehicle sir. I need to take out mine."

"Shit!" I got down and lifted it and moved it aside.

[Marugo marugooo...]

It started drizzling which was in resonance with my mom's call from the shop. I went in cursing the rain.

"Select one shirt from the ones I have put down!"

I did one without even noticing.

"Now don't go out in the rain. Stand here itself."

[Paal poleh pathinaaru... enakoru girlfriend venumada...]

I went and stood near a mannequin (male, of course!). The shop was crowded and I was watching people shouting, laughing, talking, whispering, musing and everything. A lady was looking every section for the past two hours and ordered the people there to take and show all the clothes. At last she bought a small handkerchief. 

[Aal izz well... ]

"Hey don't stand in the way!" A boy from that shop said in an awkward tone seeing my headset. I moved. It had been two hours since I had started from home. I went near my mom and asked if her purchase was over. She said that she still had to. I started becoming peevish. I just wanted to run from that place. 

[Anjana anjana... ]

Suddenly a voice.

"Enada dress vanga vanthiya inga?" (Did you come here to buy a dress?)

"Illa paal vanga vanthen!" (No, I came to buy milk!)

"Ippovum athe mari thamasha pesra da!" (You are talking amusingly like always)

I gave a grin.

"Amma engada?" (Where is your mom?)

"Anga!" (Over there)

[Beautiful... beautiful...]

This aunt increased my duration there. She talked a two-month story to my mom. I was red. Mom, it's getting too late. At last she came out.

"Pathiya evalo seekram mudichuten!" (See how quick did I finish my purchase?)

"Romba seekram!" (So fast!)

I started my bike making a firm decision in my mind that I ll never come out without asking about the place! There was a sound in my head.

"[Bang bang bang] Hari! [Bang bang bang] Hari! [Bang bang bang] Hari!"

P.S: While I am writing this, my mom is knocking my door and asking me to get ready 

to take her out. "Oh shit!"

Chennai to Chennai

This is gonna be my first "official" blog post. Contrary to the traditional, i am not going to talk about how I started to blog in this supposedly first post. I would go straight away to name this first post of mine as "Chennai to Chennai". This is a short story of a boy, personality turned freakish turned innocent boy.

Time: Around Nineteen years back...

Place 1: Chennai

THE BABY

It turns out to be the hottest day of the year. There are sounds of laughter, cries, disappointments, success, pride, envy etc., No it is definitely not one of the day of those expected results. It is a different surrounding and a different circumstance. It turns out be a hospital. A man aged around 25 is reading a news article on Sachin Tendulkar, a Cricket player who is gaining popularity among the people. It is supposed to be his birthday. A smile on that man's lips thinking about having his child in an hour or two. He has his dreams of bringing up that going-to-be-born child as a great personality serving for the country. His wife has been just admitted for delivery which has crossed the due time. The baby who should have come out to see this weird world has not come out yet. "Oh baby, Come out!” cries the doctor. Traditional and orthodox family it is and so the sounds of sacred chants outside the room. At last the baby is born at 12 am the next day. Doctors come out holding the baby in hand saying "This is a precious baby!” The tone is indeed sarcastic.

Time: Around Seventeen years back...

Place 2: Pondicherry

THE CHILD

It is a cool spring season with the smell of nice flowers throughout the place. It is the bedroom of small quarters. A young lady is playing with her child on the bed. The door bell rings. She keeps a pillow by her child's side and answers the door. The child loves fantasy it seems. It starts moving. It reaches pillow, pushes it down, moves further, reaches the end of the bed, looks down at the floor and laughs. Moves further in the air. Oh My God! It isn’t a superman. It falls down from a height. It starts laughing. Mom runs to the bedroom. "Aaaaaahhhhhhh!" The sound echoes throughout the home.

Time: Around Fifteen years back...

Place 3: Delhi

THE LAD

Let’s call this child "The lad". The lad grows up. When he is asked what he wants to be in future, he says that his aim is to become a "KALL-EC-TOR" (Collector :D). His father and mother feel proud hearing this from his mouth. So all is set for him to study hard. Starting from A for Apple to the Pan-gram sentence like "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”, from the capitals to the Prime ministers (Which are the main syllabus for General knowledge exams), from Addition to complex numbers they are planning to teach him whatever they know. But he never shows interest in studies. Our lad likes to spend his time doing anything rather than studies.

His father always says, " Dei naan solratha kelu da!(Listen to what I say!)". 

Our lad will reply, "Enna vidu pa! (Leave me dad!)". 

This lad's father once goes to a slum for a job. He hears some rubbish words "@@#%$#$%^&##@@@" and turns to see, He sees his own Collector-ambition child shirtless playing Gilli. "Arghhhhhh!". The sound echoes throughout the place.

Time: Around Eight years back...

Place 4: Bangalore

THE BOY

His father gets voluntary transfer to a new place and firmly assures he will make his child a good personality.("Great" to "Good" !!). He puts him in a school a.k.a jail here. He spends his life for the next five years here. His mischief is never down. 

His father always says," Dei thayavu senju naan solratha kelu da!(Please listen to what i say!)". 

Our boy will reply, "Thayavu senju enna vidu pa! (Please leave me dad!)!" 

One day his Chemistry teacher asks him, “How will you find Avogadro’s Number??". He replies, “Go to Menu > Contacts > Avogadro!" Teacher faints.

Time: Now...

Place 5: Chennai

THE YOUTH 

He has come back to Chennai now. The place where it all started. The place where his father rejoiced in his birth. The place where the doctors hailed him precious. He makes it into a good college. He is fantasized by this capital city. His father now decides to make him as a personality ("Good" to” “!!). He thinks "Ezhunooru oora pathavan naanu!, Ithu ena biskoth Chennai!(I have seen several places, What this Chennai is going to change me!)". But he doesn't know by that time that Chennai is going to teach otherwise. First day of his college. He comes to a bus stop near his home. A bus comes packed fully with people. He steps forward to get into the bus. A huge uncle knocks him down and climbs the bus. Somehow he gets into the other bus. He finds very much difficult to stand in the bus with people stamping his legs and pushing him forth and back. He gets down and walks from bus stop to his college. He asks the route to his class and it becomes a wild goose chase. He arrives to the class after a great search and not to his surprise he is late. The professor has started his class. He says him to come for the next class. He stands outside the class for the entire period and enters the class the next period. The lecturer enters and starts taking attendance. He is looking around the class and misses his attendance. He goes to the teacher at the end and asks for attendance. He scolds him for not being attentive and says him that he will put attendance if he answers next class. The next two periods are break and he decides to talk with the new guys. He goes to them. Alas! Those are city boys and he finds humiliated. He goes to the canteen and stands in a long queue to buy a token and when he searches for his purse, it is missing. Tears roll down his cheeks. The afternoon session goes with mixed feelings. He goes to home in a bus and when he is getting down in his stop, a guy pushes him down. He collapses down with little injuries. He walks to home silently. His father finds his unusual sadness and silence as a token of surprise and asked him what had happened. What next happened changed his life!

Our youth says," Appa, appopo nee solratha kelu nu solviye! Ippo sollu kekren! (Dad, You will always ask me to listen to what you say! Now say dad!)". 

His dad smiles and asks him to sit by his side. He starts by saying, “See, you are what you are in this world. That's either one of two things: Either you're somebody, or you aren’t anybody…………..”

As the cliché goes, the rest is history!

 

Chennai da!!!!!! (In tone of “Mankatha da!!!”)

P.S: Alas! Chennai changed me a lot! That is the only connection with me in this story!