Vanakkam Doctor !

Well I am knackered and too tired to wake up anyway. It’s around 8 in the morning in Kanchi. The morning is still young and Sun has not gone stronger yet and I was still having a lie in with my cousins and few uncles on the terrace yard, where we slept last night after a protracted and an intense game of Thaaya Parisu (Sadhurangam) with the house hold folks. The lovely scent of early morning dew on my nostrils and the dampness on the bed sheets was so soothing and cozy and I almost forgotten that it’s the fourth day of Pongal celebrations (called Kaanum Pongal or sight-seeing Pongal), and our third day here in Kanchi; and sooner we have to leave; feel low, want to stay longer; well I am lazy and knackered, unlike the ladies of the household, cooking yet for millions and minions, incessantly without any grudge. Well, I could already smell the spicy chicken and mutton gravy or kuzhambu on the breakfast menu served traditionally with Idli’s and Pooris, at the back yard of our hug...

Well, someone woke me up at 3 o clock this morning. It must have been Amma or possibly Appa. The sweet aroma of freshly lit fire already was in my eager nostrils and was sooner getting excited. It also slowly dawned on me that today was Bhogi, and at instant started remembering, Amma, scavenging lots of oldies over the past two months for this day of Bonfire eve, before the great day of PONGAL , tomorrow in Kanchipuram, at our grannies, 80 kms from our house here in Coral Merchant Street. Alas,  now it’s time to wake up and worship Nature. Well, I have been looking for this day for nearly 3 months, especially after the recent Deepavali holidays, in November; this would be the time when we shall get to meet all my cousins; young and old; aunties and uncles; favourites and not so ones; family friends; get to see new movies hidden away in my Amma’s sarees from my  hawkish periya maama or big uncle; get to exchange the lovely PONGAL Vazhthugal or greetings cards; get to w...