Vanakkam Doctor !

It is once again, that time of the year. First 10 years: Oil bath, food, crackers, fire works, kites, friends, and lots of fun Second ten years: Fire works, kites, entertainment, television, movies, food, friends, girl friends and lots of fun Third ten years: Just the odd sprinklers or rockets, friends, Old monk, beers, Whiskies, dance, looking at kites, bladdered and lots of fun. And currently : Very few drinks, friends, food, dance, and kiddies having lots of fun!! My earliest memory of Deepavali goes back to, when I was possibly four or five. Appa came home that evening with a big bag full of fire works, most of which were diverted later to my uncles in Kanchipuram. Well, we were very young to fire them! The next one was when Appa got himself incarcerated in Chennai central prison!   This was in 1976, following a union strike at his work place which was also during the emergency period in  I...

I have become a Hindi buff now. Or is it more of a Tamil buff with changing times? You believe it or not; my late father was a DMK devotee and I was his faithful follower. Not necessarily were, all my family members and some of them were cunning (!) enough to learn some Hindi as a side kick, (along with type writing; I was a failure in that too) whilst they were at school and or college. If my memory serves correct, my sister had passed her “Prathmic level” and my brother did slightly better than her. Appa was obviously not interested in our Hindi; however didn’t stop his children from learning the same on private tuitions. My tryst with Hindi and Sanskrit started at my primary school, which was managed by Mr. Iyer, who was our then principal. He was also fondly and reverently called as “Butttu kudimi” by us, as he sported a tuft on his occipital bone of his head and with the sacred thread across his torso, and most of the time was also topless. He wo...

Early days in Singa!!! It’s been a hectic past couple of months! I have just started to chill out a bit now in Singa after our relocation and slowly getting back to do few routines. Routines galore! I am also establishing few new routines too to my ever changing life line. I can’t believe that it’s already a month since we landed at the Changi! Kiddies have now begun to hate me as they have been asked once again to work on their school books. They must have had nearly two and half months of holiday since March this year; began, when they came to visit me in Manchester , before we headed off to Singa. Well we need to get them to do some routines and am sure it’s going to be a long winding road ahead. I have and we (family) have started walking a lot. Walk to metro. Walk to work and Walk to the Malls. Walk to the neighbors and friends. Walk to the markets and schools, Walk and walk……and of course leisure walking too! All four of us must have...

You were a butterfly You came and gone You were a soothing lullaby Often echoing at the bottom of my memory well My eyes swell up Hearing your name … My ageing grey cells Kindled again and again Whilst you lie a cute little butterfly Embedded deep In my soul Warped and I named you. I caress you very fondly Soothingly at your nimble feet, Stretch your designed coloured wings Very carefully tremulously Holding you by my arms And was in awe at your big beautiful eyes…… You were the precious first in our family! You were my first admirer and audience You were cute little lass You came to relax us all You were our pride And you were our little Chellam……… It’s been ages and So many days Since I have seen you Studiously studying me Stood at my back….. You are a beautiful butterfly… Staining my heart and fingers for ever ...

Simple mind Complex thoughts Illogical progression Series of coincidences Logical regression Fortunate for some one Unfortunate for some one else…….. Priorities Nuances of life Distilled pure water Tranquility is beneath Why is it fortunate for some one? Unfortunate for some one else……. We are measured by our deeds We are scaled by our words We are fathomed by the unfathomable….. We are integral to other’s deeds We are life’s numbers and complex numbers indeed Created by ourselves to complicate for…. We are what... We are numbers and We are all numbered!! - In memory of a father who passed away on 20 th Jan 2013 , whilst his son was on the way flying to see his beloved Appa alive!

It has been a while.  Summer came and gone.  Winter is harsh.  Frost is really biting and the night time average is in minus.  I am on my own this winter and it has been a while.  Not after 1997, I am left lurching in cold sleepless nights, as I am of now on my own.  Family is in India as part of our relocation plans and I am on my way early next year.  Bye to UK for good. Past seven months been a revelation too.  I am getting to know people and my friends.  They always kindle the interest and  the emotions in me.  None of us are selfless and selfishness is the utmost core for our survival.  It is obvious.  I learn to deceive and be deceptive.  Be detached.  Lower my expectations.Each of us does what we think suits or helps us and in the process thrash and trash ourselves and others.  Do the karma and forget about benefits.  Conflict arises when all of us think and do only w...

The    D  day was set and we were ready to board the Tamil Nadu express from the Madras Central Railway station.  The trip to  Delhi  would be over two nights and we would be reaching  New Delhi  on the third day morning.  It was March and needless to say that it was getting hotter around in Chennai.  Families with relatives had arrived earlier that day at our erstwhile house at Mannadi,  Coral Merchant Street .  I was blessed by countless of them who I thought were very proud of something I was going to do, which none in our family circle never dared to do. Appa’s friends also were thronging with garlands making a beeline at our home to wish me and bid me farewell.  It was getting too much for me and the eventual time arrived, when I started from our ancestral house to the Central railway station, in a big van accompanied by my relatives.  It was ve...