After the long awaited waiting time, I finally boarded the early morning flight for Chennai. It was a familiar ritual though I was dubious about the security checking now a days. Although my parents gave me clear instructions for each second I would be facing, I was just thinking of numerous possibilities that could occur anytime. Nevertheless, the short uneventful journey ended leaving no special traces behind it.
On reaching the destination, there was a lot to look forward to. The humbling surprise of having the eldest members of the family receiving me, my two baby cousins running around, dragging, loitering the whole house, my cousin brother in the hospital who was recovering from an illness, recovering the lost moments of past many months as quick as possible, all in one day did not tire me. Infact my soul was already getting rejuvenated and was looking forward for more in my village ahead for which I was leaving on the second day.
On second day of my short vacation, we left to Madurai wherein we planned to stay over night and then proceed to our village called Sivaganga. In Madurai I was quite excited seeing my cousins (who are ironically my mother’s best friends too) and their daughters. Somehow I have never felt a difference between our ages. Everyone there seems to be of the same generation. I just wished my mother would have joined too.
Early morning I reached the same old village where I have my earliest and fondest memories still floating around in my mind. As soon as I reached I rushed to my favorite small room which cannot be exactly called a store room according to me (although that is what it is) since it is quite close to my heart. Although it might sound ridiculous to have a store room for a favorite place still I can still feel the warmth, safety, the affectionate bear hug and my grandmother’s pleasant scent in the old grandmother’s sarees, some old things and other important ‘petty’ things.
My aunt loaded my head with lot of oil and made me have an oil bath which I was’nt quite familiar of. I don’t quite know the rules of the ‘oil bath game’. I ended up learning lot of things though. Not that I was really dying to take it but still I dint really mind it too. Soon the immediate effect of the oil bath could be easily seen on me. I had a sumptuous meal and did not actually know when to stop eating. Everyone was kind enough to suggest me to go upstairs and ‘take some rest’. They of course knew the effects of the oil bath.
I took a book that I had borrowed from my cousin upstairs and started reading. It was about some young girl in the country side living a life completely on her own doing some sort of animal husbandry, farming, etc. I could visualize everything from the narration of the author. The narration was so pleasant about the country side where she grew lot of fresh vegetables, fruits, had four dogs, cats and had a simple house which was nice and cold even on the hottest summer noon. I almost entered a trance and felt myself in the country side myself. Suddenly a gang of some men forced their entry into the room and something happened and there was lot of violence. I shudder even at the thought of a violent movie. Suddenly they came up to me and shook me badly. My arms were aching badly. I felt a shooting pain on my head and thought someone had struck my head. I was too worried for the lady in the country as she was the one who lived there always.
Thankfully, my sister in law woke me up saying that she has brought something for me to drink as I might be having headache due to the oil bath. Phew, the relief I felt at that moment. I had gone so dead asleep for almost two hours and the book had worsened matters. Anyway now I was better and left that room freshened myself and went to bring my nephew from school. He is in class I. They are preparing for the annual day which was a week away. He was in some dance. He was proud that he danced 9 times. I was feeling sorry for the kid as in that hot sun, the poor kids had to do so many antics, forgetting my own days in school no better than a circus performer, always going for some dance practice. Infact, even 2 weeks back I was part of a dance in my office. Anyway we came back, and went out to buy things for the next day school function. We went around the whole village walking and walking for around 2 and a half hours and on return going to the most desired bakery shop on constant special request from my nephew. After his constant pestering even I thought he must like the items in that bakery. Instead what he bought made me mad. He bought a 3 rupees biscuit all for a free tattoo of a famous film star. Arghhhhh!! The entire extra mile for this????
Next day was the function in school. It was a yearly ritual in which the boys of class X handed over a candle or ‘Jyoti’ after taking an oath and passing over the school honor to the next batch. It went well. And now I am sitting in Madurai yet again talking to the blog. Tomorrow is the ‘Aradhana’ function which I won’t be attending due to some unavoidable reasons. Two more days to cover up for some roaming around, shopping and cinema and then back again to pavilion in TTC.
On reaching the destination, there was a lot to look forward to. The humbling surprise of having the eldest members of the family receiving me, my two baby cousins running around, dragging, loitering the whole house, my cousin brother in the hospital who was recovering from an illness, recovering the lost moments of past many months as quick as possible, all in one day did not tire me. Infact my soul was already getting rejuvenated and was looking forward for more in my village ahead for which I was leaving on the second day.
On second day of my short vacation, we left to Madurai wherein we planned to stay over night and then proceed to our village called Sivaganga. In Madurai I was quite excited seeing my cousins (who are ironically my mother’s best friends too) and their daughters. Somehow I have never felt a difference between our ages. Everyone there seems to be of the same generation. I just wished my mother would have joined too.
Early morning I reached the same old village where I have my earliest and fondest memories still floating around in my mind. As soon as I reached I rushed to my favorite small room which cannot be exactly called a store room according to me (although that is what it is) since it is quite close to my heart. Although it might sound ridiculous to have a store room for a favorite place still I can still feel the warmth, safety, the affectionate bear hug and my grandmother’s pleasant scent in the old grandmother’s sarees, some old things and other important ‘petty’ things.
My aunt loaded my head with lot of oil and made me have an oil bath which I was’nt quite familiar of. I don’t quite know the rules of the ‘oil bath game’. I ended up learning lot of things though. Not that I was really dying to take it but still I dint really mind it too. Soon the immediate effect of the oil bath could be easily seen on me. I had a sumptuous meal and did not actually know when to stop eating. Everyone was kind enough to suggest me to go upstairs and ‘take some rest’. They of course knew the effects of the oil bath.
I took a book that I had borrowed from my cousin upstairs and started reading. It was about some young girl in the country side living a life completely on her own doing some sort of animal husbandry, farming, etc. I could visualize everything from the narration of the author. The narration was so pleasant about the country side where she grew lot of fresh vegetables, fruits, had four dogs, cats and had a simple house which was nice and cold even on the hottest summer noon. I almost entered a trance and felt myself in the country side myself. Suddenly a gang of some men forced their entry into the room and something happened and there was lot of violence. I shudder even at the thought of a violent movie. Suddenly they came up to me and shook me badly. My arms were aching badly. I felt a shooting pain on my head and thought someone had struck my head. I was too worried for the lady in the country as she was the one who lived there always.
Thankfully, my sister in law woke me up saying that she has brought something for me to drink as I might be having headache due to the oil bath. Phew, the relief I felt at that moment. I had gone so dead asleep for almost two hours and the book had worsened matters. Anyway now I was better and left that room freshened myself and went to bring my nephew from school. He is in class I. They are preparing for the annual day which was a week away. He was in some dance. He was proud that he danced 9 times. I was feeling sorry for the kid as in that hot sun, the poor kids had to do so many antics, forgetting my own days in school no better than a circus performer, always going for some dance practice. Infact, even 2 weeks back I was part of a dance in my office. Anyway we came back, and went out to buy things for the next day school function. We went around the whole village walking and walking for around 2 and a half hours and on return going to the most desired bakery shop on constant special request from my nephew. After his constant pestering even I thought he must like the items in that bakery. Instead what he bought made me mad. He bought a 3 rupees biscuit all for a free tattoo of a famous film star. Arghhhhh!! The entire extra mile for this????
Next day was the function in school. It was a yearly ritual in which the boys of class X handed over a candle or ‘Jyoti’ after taking an oath and passing over the school honor to the next batch. It went well. And now I am sitting in Madurai yet again talking to the blog. Tomorrow is the ‘Aradhana’ function which I won’t be attending due to some unavoidable reasons. Two more days to cover up for some roaming around, shopping and cinema and then back again to pavilion in TTC.
