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தமிழ் இனி.....

மெரினா கடற்கரையோரம் காற்று வாங்கலாம் என நண்பர் ஒருவருடன் சென்றேன். அது ஞாயிற்றுகிழமை ஆதலால் மக்கள் அலைகடலென திரண்டிருந்தனர். உழைப்பாளர் சிலையை கடந்து நடைபாதை வழியாய் மணலை நோக்கி நடந்தோம். சென்னை நகரமே கடற்கரையில் திரண்டிருந்தது போன்ற பிரம்மை. அருகாமையில் ஒரு உல்லாச பேருந்து சில பயணிகளை இறக்கி கொண்டிருந்தது. ஒரு கனத்த பெண்மணி தன்னுடன் வந்த ஒரு குழந்தையை செல்லமாய் கடிந்து கொண்டாள். "சுப் ரஹோ, மே தும்கோ வஹா லே ஜாவுங்க" என்ற பெண்மணியை கண்டு சமாதானம் ஆனாள் அக்குழந்தை. நம் நண்பர் சிரித்தபடியே, "இவங்க இந்திகாரங்க பாஸ், பீகாரிலிருந்து வந்திருப்பாங்க" என்றார்.

சற்றே முன் செல்ல எத்தனித்த வேளையில் ஒரு தம்பதியர் எங்களை கடந்து சென்றனர். அப்பெண்மணி அழகாய் இருக்கவே நம் நண்பர் ஒரு ஓரப்பார்வை வீசினர். உடனே அப்பெண்மணி தன் கணவரிடம், "இக்கட பீச் மட்டுகே பாக உந்தி, இ தமிலோளுனி சூச்தே பயங்க உந்தி" என்றாள். எனக்கு தெலுங்கு சற்றே தெரியும் என்பதால் நண்பருக்கு மொழிபெயர்த்தேன், "நண்பா உன் பார்வை ரொம்ப மோசம் என்கிறாள் அந்த பெண்". ஆவேசமடைத்த நண்பரை சமாதானபடுத்த சில நிமிடங்கள் ஆயின. 

மாலை நேரம் என்பதால் கதிரவன் இதமாயிருந்தான், கடல் காற்றும் கூட சேர்ந்து மனதை வருடியது. நம் நண்பர் என்னை இடிக்கவே முன்னோக்கினேன், ஒரு பெரிய குடும்பம் பொடிசுகள், இளசுகள், பெரியவர் புடை சூழ நம்மை கடந்து சென்றது. எதோ ஒரு மழலை "ஏற்ற தூரம் போகனம்?" என்றாள். இம்முறை நண்பர் என்னை நோக்கி சிரித்தபடியே "மலையாளம், எனக்கும் கொஞ்சம் தெரியும்" என்றார்.

கடற்கரையை நெருங்கிய வேலையில் மனதில் ஏதோ ஒரு உறுத்தல். நண்பரை நோக்கினேன், "நண்பா, ஒன்றை கவனித்தாயா, இவ்வளவு தூரம் நடந்தோமே, ஒருவராகிலும் தமிழ் பேசுவதை கவனித்தாயா" என்றேன். நண்பர் நான் சொல்வதை கவனித்தாரோ இல்லையோ அருகாமையில் சில இளம் பெண்கள் விளையாடுவதை கண் கொட்டாமல் ரசித்து கொண்டிருந்தார். இனி இவரிடம் இதை பற்றி பேசி பயன் இல்லையென அமைதியானேன்.

என் மன சிந்தனையை அறிந்தது போல ஒரு சிறு குடும்பம் எங்கள் முன் வந்துகொண்டிருந்தது. நடுத்தர வயதுடைய கணவன் மனைவி மற்றும் இரு குழந்தைகள் என அளவான குடும்பம். அவர்கள் முகமே ஒரு தமிழ் குடும்பம் என பறைசாற்றியது. எனக்குள் ஒரு இனம் புரியா குதூகலம். அக்குழந்தை தன தாயை நோக்கி "அம்மா, எனக்கு அந்த பொம்மை வேணும்மா" என்றாள். சற்றும் தாமதியாமல் அப்பெண் கோபத்துடன் "ஹொவ் மெனி டைம்ஸ் ஐ எவ் டோல்ட் யு, டாக் இன் இங்கிலீஷ்" என்றாள். அக்குழந்தை மிகுந்த ஏமாற்றத்துடன் " ஒகே மாம், ப்ளீஸ் பை மீ தட் டாய்" என்றாள்.

என்ன செய்வதென்று தெரியாமல் திகைத்து நின்றேன். கோபம், வெறுப்பு, ஏமாற்றம், ஆச்சர்யம் என பலவிதமான உணர்வுகள். நண்பரை கோபத்துடன் நோக்கினேன், மிக பணிவாக "நீ என்ன கூறினாலும் நான் கேட்கிறேன்" என்பது போல பாவனை செய்தார். " நண்பா பார்த்தாயா இந்த கொடுமையை, இம்மட்டும் நாம் பார்த்தவர்கள் வேறு மாநிலதவராயினும் தம் தாய் மொழியில் பேசினர். ஆனால் இங்கோ நிலைமை தலைகீழாய் உள்ளது. தமிழ் பேசுவதையே அவமானமாய் கருதுகின்றனர், ஆங்கிலம் பேசினால்தான் கவுரவம் என்ற பொய்யான கணிப்பு."

நண்பர் மிகவும் அமைதியாக இருக்கவே, நானும் அமைதியானேன். சற்று நேரம் மணலில் அமர்ந்து கடலை நோக்கினேன், மனம் ஏனோ லேசானது போன்ற ஒரு உணர்வு. நண்பர் குறும்பு பார்வை பார்த்தபடியே "விடுங்க நண்பா, வாங்க அந்த பாணி பூரி சாப்பிடலாம், அந்த பையன் கடையிலே நல்லாயிருக்கும்" என்றார். இருவரும் அந்த வட இந்திய சிறுவனின் கடையை நோக்கி நடந்தோம். எங்களை நோக்கியதும் அவன் சிரித்தபடியே "வாங்கண்ணே!" என்றான்.

ஏனோ என் மனம் மறுபடியும் குதூகலமானது.

Namma Chennai

Chennai's history dates back to the early part of the 17th century. It was not a Greater Chennai then but a large village near the coasts of the Bay of Bengal. India itself was a scarcely populated country before its Independence. Chennai was not an exception too, the few densely populated nearby villages where Egmore, Triplicane and Vepery. As the village is located nearest to the coast of the Bay of Bengal, 'Kuppam's where famous those days. These Kuppams are still a lively place among the fishing communities of Chennai. Right from Thazhankuppam, Nettukuppam near Ennore to Ayothyakuppam near Santhome and Pattinapakkam (Fore Shore Estate) one can across 20-25 kuppams near the coast.

 Portuguese in Chennai

 Portuguese were the earliest of all the European settlers who entered Chennai in the early part of the 16th Century. In the year 1522 AD they built a port named São Tomé near the village of Mylapore. In the following year the legendary Santhome Church was built in honor of St Thomas. Later the Portuguese went on to build famous churches like the Little Mount Church in 1551, St Mary's Church and Luz Church during the early part of the 17th century.

 

The arrival of the Dutch

 Portuguese flourished their trade and social activities for almost 150 years since the 16th century. However they lost their stronghold on the city after the arrival of the Dutch during the early part of the 17th century, 1612 AD to be exact. Pulicat was the capitol of the Dutch East India company and was an happening place during the 17th century. Pulicat port was very famous for its textile and mineral imports during this period. Apart from Pulicat, Sadras fort which is located some 17 kms from Mahabalipuram is famous for its Dutch styled cemetery, secret chambers and warehouses, some survive to till date.

French vs British Raj

During 1746 French had their first victory over the British and captured Fort St George and Madras. Because the East India Company was rich with its business base at Chepauk and Black town (North of Fort St George), French troops destroyed these villages. Though French had their first establishment in Pondicherry in the 17th century, the rivalry between them and the English reached new heights during the 18th century. It was only in that instance (1746) that French gained the upper hand on the British Raj.

The British East India Company

 Though Dutch and British arrived almost at the same time, British emerged victorious among all other settlers during the 18th Century. It was in 1637 that the East India Company arrived at the modern day George Town via Francis Day's vessel. The total population of Madras during 1646 was 19000 locals and 10000 Portuguese, Dutch and English settlers. Though English had different ideas after the 18th century, it was only during their period (17th and 18th centuries) that Chennai flourished. The very first monumental work of the English is the Fort St George constructed during 1640 AD. The first British Hospital started on 16th November 1664 is still standing tall as the Government General Hospital. Later during the 18th and 19th centuries the Britishers constructed many schools, colleges, hospitals and churches. Other notable monuments are Memorial Hall – 1860 , Madras Museum - 1862, Public works Department 1865, Post and Telegraph office – 1884, Victoria Public Hall / Town Hall – 1887, High Court - 1892, Bank of Madras – 1896, Connemara Library – 1896 etc. One of the greatest services that Britishers offered to Chennai is its railways. It was in the year 1856 the first railway line from Royapuram to Arcot was built. Though the Britishers are long gone, their historical monuments and service to the community is still remembered.

The ancient temples of Chennai

Long before the village of Madras the entire part of the northernmost Tamilnadu was called Tondai Nadu or Tondaimandalam. Almost from the beginning of the Christian era some ancient temples are still standing tall. Some of them are the Kapaleeswarar temple of Mylapore, the Parthasarathy temple of Triplicane, the Marundeeswarar Temple at Tiruvanmyur and Tyagarajar Temple at Tiruvotriyur etc.

Villages of Chennai and their history

George town - This is the place which marks the beginning of the present day North Madras, it is bordered by the Wall Tax road in the west, North Ford Road (P.H Road) in the south, Chennai port in the east and the Basin Bridge in the north. This is the place where the modern city of Madras began its expansion in the early 17th century.

Triplicane - This is one of the oldest villages in the entire Tondai Nadu. Along with her sister Mylapore, she is famous for her temples. Triplicane derived from the tamil word Thiru-Alli-Keni (Sacred Lilly pond) which is claimed to be the pond in front of the Parthasarathy Temple.

 Mylapore - Mylapore derives its name from "Mayil arparikum oor" which means land of peacock scream. During ancient times this place was called 'Vedapuri' and it was a well known port city even to the Greeks and the Romans then. Arguably Mylapore might be the oldest village in Chennai.

Egmore - Egmore known as Ezhumboor in Tamil derived its name from "Ezhum Voor" meaning seven villages together. An inscription found in Tamilnadu mentions “Ezhumur nadu” (Egmore) coming under “Puliyur kottam (division) which, in turn, fell under “Jayamkonda Chola mandalam, says KRA Narasiah, a well-known researcher and historian.

 Tondiarpet - One of the ancient villages of Chennai derived its name from "Thondiar Nagaram". One of the famous Tamil Muslim saint called "Kunangudi Masthan Sahib" of the 17th century is believed to have meditated in this region. Later on people called him Thondiar meaning "Man from Thondi". Tondiarpet was earlier called "Lebbai Kaadu" associated with the Muslim community who lived there in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Royapuram - Very near to the village of Tondiarpet, Royapuram derives its name from "Rayar Puram" meaning St Peter's town. St Peter is fondly remembered as Rayappar by the Catholic community and hence the name. The famous St Peter's church was built in the early 19th century by the Christian fishing community which migrated from the village of Chepauk. Royapuram silently holds the record to own the first railway station of South India. To the north of Royapuram, there is a place called Clive Battery even today. It is said that Robert Clive a British officer gathered his battery of artillery at this place and fought against the French troop. In the early 19th century Britishers used to throw social parties which were called 'Rave' party. 'Rave' party became Rave while Clive's Battery became Clive battery. Both these places are adjacent to the town of Royapuram.

Chepauk - Located close to the village of Triplicane and Mylapore, Chepauk is said to derive its name from the Urdu "Che Bagh) means a place of six gardens. The Nawab Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah or famously the Nawab of Arcot resided in Chepauk palace during the 18th century. Wallajah road in Chepauk remembers this great man to till date.

Purasawalkam - It was once a land of paddy fields, Neem trees and the famous "Flame of the forest" tree - "Mullu Murungai" or "Purasai" tree in Tamil, when it is full of flowers it gives an impression of a Forest fire. Even today this tree stands tall in the famous Gangadeeswarar Temple on Gangadeeswarar Koil Street.

Nungambakkam - Another old village which dates back to the 11th century AD, it features in the copper plate referring to Rajendra Chola. It had vast empty lands till the early 20th century but is the centre of attraction today. The Valluvar Kottam high road is still called 'Village Road" due to its long history.

Perambur - A couple of centuries back, it was a bamboo forest. It derives its name from Tamil word Perambu (Bamboo) and Oor (village).

Thiruvottiyur - One of the most ancient places in Chennai and is the home for many famous temples like Thyagaraja Temple or famously called the Vadivudaiamman Temple, Pattinathar temple etc. It is believed that Kambar composed Ramayana in this very own Vadivudaiamman Temple. Thiruvottiyur derives its name from the Tamil word 'Thiruvodu' and 'Oor' meaning 'begging bowl of the sanyasis' and 'Village' respectively. Pattinathar spent his final years in this area with a 'Thiruvodu', hence the name. The North Madras residents would have comes across a small area called 'Kaladipettai' in Thiruvottiyur. Like the 'Rave' and 'Clive Battery' areas of Royapuram, the Kaladipet has an interesting history as well. In 1719 British Governor Joseph Collett founded a new colony for weavers and painters of cloth near Tiruvottiyur. This village was called 'Collettpetah' in his honor. Like many other English names getting localized 'Collettpetah' became 'Kaladipettai'.

Chetpet - It is believed that Chetpet derived its name from 'Chettiar Pettai'. One of the famous master builders during the 19th century, T. Namberumal Chetty, had most of his bungalows in this region, hence the name. This place also has a rich history for its Dhobikhana dating back to the 19th century.

Chintadripet - It derives its name from Tamil, "Chinna Thari Pettai". Weaver's village, Chintadripet is a twin sister to the 'Collettpetah' as both these villages came into existence in equal times. During early 18th century the Dubashes and chief merchants of the English East India Company engaged in the supply of cotton goods rose to great prosperity. One of them is Alangatha Pillai who founded and built the Ekambareswarar Temple, and another of them, Sunkurama had a large garden in the bend of the Cooum River south of Periamet which was taken over in 1735 for a new weavers' village known as Chintadripettah.

Washermanpet - It derives its name from Tamil "Vannaara Pettai". It was during the period of Governor Joseph Collett that cotton trade reached great prosperity. The village of Peddunaickenpettah where the weavers and painters settled complained that the water of the river was not pure. They were subsequently relocated to the north of the Black Town where the ground water was rich with fresh springs. The place where they settled was, therefore, known as Washerman Town and its present appellation of Washermanpet is apt.

Chennai's history cannot be explained in just one webpage and there are lot to be explored. The one common mistake committed by our ancestors was not to record the events and literature in a safer way. The historic evidence that we got of Chennai and Tamil Nadu by large is just a tip of an iceberg. Most of the information that we have now is from the journals of various English officers and not from Tamil scholars. Hope we can carry our cultural history to the generations to come.

Love at first sight!

                Last week when I went to the newly built Phoenix mall in Velachery I happened to meet Saravanan, a very close friend during my college days. He came to the mall with some of his friends. Though we did not have much time to talk, we shared our mobile numbers. It was a pleasant surprise for me to hear that he is residing at Madipakkam which is very close to my resident. During the weekend I met him in his house and his family was very happy to see me after a decade. After a few minutes of chit chats with his parents, we both left to the terrace to have some private talk. After sharing all those sweet moments happened during our graduation, he shared an emotional story which happened during his post graduation. As I wasn't his classmate during post graduation I was keen to hear his story.

During his post graduation his family was residing at a busy part of North Madras. It was a congested locality and people can talk to their neighbors from their own home. It was one evening when Saravanan came back from college saw his mom chatting with a neighbor. His mom then introduced him to the neighbor lady and told her, “He is doing his post graduation in Maths in Loyola College". The lady then smiled and said, "That's nice, my daughter too is doing her graduation in Maths at Stella Maris College". After few seconds Saravanan left to his room to spend some time to study.

Later that weekend the neighbor came to meet his mom and she had some notes in her hand. She handed a notebook and requested him to solve a question from Complex Analysis in which her daughter had some difficulty. However it was not as challenging as he thought, he was able to answer it within 5 minutes. She thanked him and left to her house. Saravanan has never seen her daughter and was eager to meet her.

In a few days his sister became a good friend with her, but Saravanan was yet to see her. His long wait came to an end the next day evening. He was watching TV and suddenly his sister came inside and said, "Anna, there is a guest in our home". She then turned towards the door and said, "Please come in, it’s only my brother". She raised the curtain and entered the house holding his sister's hand. Saravanan was dumbstruck looking at her. She was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen. She was like an angel from unknown skies. She was wearing a blue churidhar and held a small wallet in her hand. She had a little blue bindi in her forehead and looked gorgeous. She had very sharp eyes and when she looked into his eyes, he got electrocuted for a while but realized that his sister was there; he acted normal and smiled at her.

His sister introduced her saying, "Anna, this is Saraswati, our neighbor aunt's daughter". She then turned to Saraswati and told her, "Saraswati, this is my sweet brother, Saravanan". She then turned to him and said, "You both talk for a while and I will prepare tea and come". He thought to himself, "What a cute little Sis I have, she has given me the best time of my life". There was silence for a while and Saravanan started the conversation by asking about her graduation. She was hesitant for a while but became normal in the next few minutes.

While she was talking, he was just looking into her eyes and said to himself, "Oh my God, I am sitting next to an angel and listening to all her sweet talks". She realized that Saravanan is looking at her all this time and felt a bit uncomfortable. She was blushing when looking at him and tried to avoid looking at him. Soon when his sister came in they started to chat and had a good time that evening.

In a couple of weeks they started to talk and became good friends in the course of time. Saravanan's love towards her grew stronger by each day. He did not share his feelings to his friends but felt like he could share it with his sister. After much hesitation he revealed everything to his sister however he was much surprised to see his sister's reaction. She was not shocked or surprised but smiled at him and said, "You are my brother, I know what is bothering you". She promised that she will definitely help him; her consoling words gave him some encouragement.

The next day she and Saraswati planned to go to Marina beach but lied at home that they were going to a nearby mall. However Saravanan knew it and got ready to meet her at the beach. It was 5.00 pm in the evening and Saravanan was already there at the beach. He saw them both coming towards him but acted unnoticed. His sister created a fake panic by looking at him and asked Saraswati to walk alone and that she will hide in the nearby park for the time being.

Saraswati got panicked as well but promised that she will save her. She started walking towards Sarvanan and smiled at him. He was so happy to see her while she was all blushing. She lied that she came to visit a friend who resides near the beach and that she was about to leave. Saravanan looked at her and asked, "I overheard you girls talking and I came early before you, I know my sis is hiding somewhere here, I need to talk to you". She looked at him and said, "Yes, we can sit here".

The Sunset was beautiful, the beach was charming, the sea was calm and there's an angel sitting before him. He took a deep breath and pulled out his emotions, "You are the most beautiful person I have ever met, I lost myself when I saw you first, its you and only you I have been possessed with, and I am in love with you". She did not utter a word but sat there for a while looking at the calm sea. After few more minutes of silence she got up and started to walk towards his sister.

Sarvanan was heart broken at the reaction that he received. He doesn't even want to go back home as he did not had the guts to look at his sister. He came late in the night and soon fell sleep. In the morning he woke up early and wanted to go out somewhere but his sister was waiting for him to accompany her to a nearby temple. His parents also left early in the morning to see some relatives. After much hesitation he accompanied his sister to the nearby temple. After few minutes they started again and reached home within the next 10 minutes. His sister waited at the entrance while he rushed towards his room.

When he entered his room he could not believe his eyes. His room was decorated with roses and on his table roses were arranged saying, "I love you too!" Saravanan rushed towards the living room only to see his sis and Saraswati laughing at him. His sister noticed that they were staring at each other and said, "Okay, let me prepare some tea"; she left the room without waiting for an answer.

Saravanan looked at Saraswati and held her cheeks. Like always she blushed and tilted her head towards his chest. And that's one of the cutest proposal I have heard in a long time.

When he finished his story I looked at him for further answers. He seems to understand my reaction and smiled at me and said, "We got married 5 years back and she is on an onshore project in US and will be back later this year".

I was so happy for my friend.

Forever Love!

The other day, I happened to meet one of my friends, I hadn't seen for many years. We talked for a while and exchanged our mobile numbers. The following week I called my friend, Vinoth for a get together with our friends. He shared the story of his first love which happened some 6 years back.

Vinoth had just completed his graduation and was waiting for his results. Some of his friends from Bangalore came to Chennai during holidays and Vinoth was very happy to receive them. They said they were going to stay for a week in Chennai at a friend's apartment. The next day they planned to visit the rock temples at Mahabalipuram in the East Coast Road. It was only 3 guys apart from Vinoth and so he thought of booking a Tata Indica call taxi. However his friends wanted to take a Toyota Innova, an 8 seater SUV. Vinoth was wondering why they wanted an 8 seater SUV for just 4 guys. However he got the answer in no time. Within few minutes the vehicle stopped at a nearby place and 3 girls got into the SUV. Vinoth was again wondering what was happening.

The friends then introduced the girls to Vinoth. Two of the girls in the gang were the lady love of two in the guys gang. In the next few seconds the cab started to move to the destination. Everybody started to chat with each other and soon Vinoth mingled with the group. In a couple of hours they reached the tiger cave which is few kms before Mahabalipuram. The two couples ran towards seashore and started playing around. The third girl's name is Catherine, a final year graduate. She felt a bit inconvenient as her friends left her alone. The third guy was also busy with his mobile phone and slowly distanced himself from Vinoth and Catherine.

Vinoth sneak peeked at Catherine a couple of times but she was busy watching the sea. She looked gorgeous in her dark brown cotton saree. She was wearing it single fleet and looked cute in her slim physique. She let her hair loose and held the pallu of the saree in her left hand. The sea breeze flew through her hair and touched his face. Vinoth inhaled the fragrance of rose flower and felt like flying with her. It was a couple of minutes before Vinoth broke the silence. He looked at her, "Your name sounds foreign!" She was smiling, "Yes, I belong to the Anglo-Indian community". She continued, "I have heard about this place but never had a chance to visit, what it so special about this place is?" Vinoth was happy that she was starting to open up.

He explained, "Mahabalipuram is a remarkable work of the Pallavas, it was said that the shore temples where built during the 7th century AD, this is a place full of art and culture." Catherine looked at him and said, "I don't find this place attractive apart from the seashore". Vinoth immediately answered, " I know you don't like this place, I am not blaming you but most if the teenagers don't like either, its a place of our tradition, culture, history, I come here all the time, sad or happy, this is the place which gives me inner peace". He continued, "Don't look it as a rock temple, touch and feel the rocks, these same rocks were carved into fine sculptors thousands of years back, imagine yourself in the past, a thousand years back, touching these rocks". Catherine realized that Vinoth is not an ordinary guy but a great lover of art and culture.

Vinoth realized that he was talking too much and said, “I am really sorry!" Catherine asked, "Why?" Vinoth answered, "You came here to enjoy the day, but I started boring you". Catherine looked at him and said, "No, not at all, you are sweet, I can feel these rocks, I mean it." Vinoth was very happy, "Really, that's great!" She looked at the others but everyone was busy placing in the seashore. Vinoth asked her, "Will you walk with me?" She did not show any feelings but said, "hmm, okay, but promise me that you would explain more about this place". He was very happy and said, "Oh sure, come let's move".

After a couple of hours all the other friends came back to the cab but then noticed Vinoth and Catherine missing. They waited almost an hour before Vinoth and Catherine reached the cab. The other girls were laughing and started to cheer her. To Vinoth's surprise Catherine did not utter a word nor did she show any emotions. Rest of the trip was not much fun as everybody else was tired. While leaving the girls at their apartment, Vinoth looked at Catherine and asked, "Do you have any plans tomorrow?" She said, "Yes, I am going to visit few of my relatives here in Chennai". So with heavy heart he bid adieu to her.

In the following day his thoughts were occupied by Catherine. After a long time thinking, Vinoth made a decision that he would propose Catherine before she was leaving to Bangalore that weekend. He was unclear on how or where to propose. He kept it confidential and did not even reveal the matter to his friends. Vinoth finally decided that he would propose Catherine on Saturday evening at the railway station.

It was Saturday night and Vinoth was rushing to the railway station to see Catherine. He reached the station and searched for his friends. At distance they waved their hands and Vinoth reached them within the next few seconds. After bidding adieu to all his friends, he searched for Catherine, but she was not there. One of his friends, after seeing him restless asked, "Are you okay buddy?” Vinoth looked at him and asked, "Yep, no problem, where is Catherine?" His friend answered, "Oh, she left yesterday, she had some personal work, and she left early." Vinoth was shattered and thought, "She did not even have the courtesy to tell me". After his friends left Chennai, he came back to his apartment and spent a sleepless night.

The next day he felt he needed some break and decided to go to Mahabalipuram. He reached there around 10am in the morning and there was none at the seashore. He sat in the seashore, hands on his knees and looked at the calm sea. The cool sea breeze pacified his soul. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly he felt a fragrance of rose flower in his breath and thought to himself, "Catherine, how can you leave me like this?" He opened his eyes and turned towards his left. Catherine was sitting next to him looking at him. He was shocked and thought, "Am I dreaming, is she real, or is it my thoughts". Catherine enjoyed his silence and finally burst out in laugh.

He was still confused and asked, "I was told that you left a couple of days back, I am confused". Catherine smiled and said, "I will answer that later, I knew that you came to see me at the station, I also knew that you were upset you did not see me". He answered, "Yes, I can't stop thinking about you, when I close my eyes I see you, only you.” After a moment of silence Catherine asked, "Do you know the story of 15th Pallava King?" He thought to himself, "Is she playing with my emotions, I am proposing my love and she is talking about a Pallava king". But he answered, "Nope, to my knowledge there were 14 Pallava kings associated with Mahabalipuram, I really don't know."

Catherine smiled and said, "This 15th Pallava king sat in this same place and proposed his love to his ladylove, and she accepted his proposal". Vinoth was confused as to what this story has to do with his proposal. Catherine lowered her head looking at the sand and said, "The 15th Pallava King's name is Vinoth and her ladylove is Catherine".

Vinoth's heart pounded heavily, he felt like he was projected to unreached heights of the sky, he felt like he was flying. He stood up and looked at the calm sea. He felt the sea was smiling at him. Catherine stood next to him still looking at the sand. Vinoth slid his hands into hers and asked, "Look into my eyes, this is the moment of my life, will you walk with me?” She looked into his eyes and said, "Yes, my King, I will walk with your wherever you go!". They both laughed and started walking by the seashore.

The King and Queen lived happily ever after!

Love is in the air!

You can't fly unless you let yourself fall. Only when you are in love you can feel it in your heart. Murali, one of my close friends had a touching story to share with me which happened few years back.

His ladylove's name was Swathi and she was working as a Staff Nurse in one of the famous hospitals located in the northern part of Chennai. It all started with a hospital visit during the summer season of 2004. Murali went to the hospital to visit a friend who was treated as an inpatient after a bike accident. It was the first time he saw Swathi. She looked perfect in her nursing uniform. She smiled at Murali in a friendly way when his friend introduced him. As Murali was a close friend to our patient friend, he visited the hospital more often than many other friends.

It was a friday evening and Murali was entering the hospital premises and that's when he saw Swathi leaving the hospital. She was wearing a pink saree and looked gorgeous in the evening sun. Her moisture lips, bright face and sparkling eyes made him think if she was an Angel from the heavenly realm. Her long dark hair was waving with the breeze that flew through her hair. At that moment he thought to himself, "Vow, she is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in this world!". He lost himself till someone called him,

"Hello!...Helloooo!". Murali came back to his senses but his eyes were still fixed on her. She felt a bit uncomfortable after seeing Murali looking at her all this time, dumbstruck. Murali realizing the situation asked her, "Hello! How are you?" She replied, "I am doing good, came to see your friend?". Murali thought he could say, "Nope, my darling, I came to see you, just you!", he laughed and said, "Oh, yes! I came to see him". She said, "Okay, then, see ya later!". Murali left the place but Swathi entered his heart.

Days went on and his feelings to Swathi grew stronger and steadier. Everytime he looked at her she gave a friendly smile and few friendly words and that's it. His friend urged him to propose her at the earliest. He wanted Murali not to delay as he would be discharged from the hospital in a couple of weeks. Murali was a bit scared to express his feelings as he thought it could end up hurting their friendship. During the following days Murali had no time to visit his friend. He has to travel to his native to attend a family function. He came back to Chennai in the following week.

Murali came to visit his friend the following day and saw him in an ecstatic mood. "Machaan, I think Swathi is in love with you, she had inquired about you daily, when you were not there". He continued, "When I said, you would be back only by next week, I can see the upset in her face, I am sure she is in love with you" Murali was flying and felt that he should propose her at the earliest.

The next day Murali was determined that he would propose his love to Swathi. When he reached the hospital in the evening, Swathi was leaving the hospital. She looked gorgeous in her white Churthar and pink shawl. Murali looked at her and asked, "Are you busy? I wanted to talk to you". She replied, "Yes, I am a bit busy, I am going to meet an important person and I am thrilled, I will catch you later". She left the place without waiting for Murali's reply. He was heartbroken and felt that it was all his fault to delay his proposal. After staying for a while with this friend he left the hospital with a heavy heart.

It was Murali's birthday that weekend and he came to visit his friend in the hospital. His friend informed that he was going to get discharged the following week. Murali was unclear on how to proceed with Swathi. It was 5.00 PM in the evening and Swathi came to his friend's room. She was wearing the same pink saree in which she looked gorgeous. Murali was heart broken again to see her. However she called Murali and said, "Can you come with me?" She continued, "I would like you to meet someone who's very special to me". Murali thought to himself, "Okay, let me see how your lover is". He said, "Yes, sure".

She sat in the pillion in Murali's bike and they left the hospital. Soon Murali rode his bike to a calm street in Besant Nagar which was very close to the seashore. The last house in the street read, "Good Sheperd Orphanage". Murali got confused on why Swathi wanted him to visit an orphanage. However he went inside the home with Swathi. As soon as Swathi entered the home, there was a huge cheer and kids came running towards her. Murali for the first time looked at her with respect in his eyes and said, "Do you come here often?" She said, "Yes, and this is the VIP I wanted you to meet". A little disabled kid came slowly towards Murali and asked, "Hello Anna! How are you?". Murali was emotional, "I am doing good dear, what's your name" he asked. The kid replied, "I am Krishna!". Murali spent the next couple of hours with Krishna and all other kids. All the children sang 'happy birthday' to Murali. His love towards Swathi grew stronger than ever before.

After few minutes Swathi asked him, "Shall we move?". Murali was unwilling but it was already 7.00 pm in the evening and they have to travel a long way back to the hospital. Murali said, "Okay, we shall". He then searched for the cute kid, Krishna and asked, "Where is Krishna?" Krishna came slowly with a rose in his hand. He handed the flower to Murali and said, "Will you keep this rose safe for me?". Murali was moved to tears, "Till my last breath, I'll keep it safe". Krishna immediately replied in his toddler voice, "Yes, you should, its not just rose, it’s our Swathi Akka!"

Murali was shocked to hear the sweet news. He looked at her. She looked at him and the whole place got filled with love. Somewhere from distance the song played,

Love is in the air

Everywhere I look around

Love is in the air

Every sight and every sound

And I don't know if I'm being foolish

Don't know if I'm being wise

But it's something that I must believe in

And it's there when I look in your eyes

Love is in the air

In the whisper of the trees

Love is in the air

In the thunder of the sea

And I don't know if I'm just dreaming

Don't know if I feel sane

But it's something that I must believe in

And it's there when you call out my name

It was the most lovely proposal ever!

Will you be my Rain?

Madhu is one of my close friends and works in a nearby consulting firm to mine. I would like to share his sweet little love story that happened a few years back. His lady love is actually his colleague in office but works in a different department. I am not going to reveal the real name of his lady love; we will just go with 'Archana'.

Like Kamal's rainy day (Check my previous post 'On a Rainy day') Madhu had his own special day, the day he first met Archana. It was 8.00 am in the morning, Madhu was returning back to office after breakfast. That was when he saw Archana in the ground floor. She was so beautiful in her black Churithar and Madhu took some time to realize that she is just a girl and not an angel. She asked, "Is Deccan Consultancy 4th floor?" Madhu replied, "Yes, and whom do you wanna meet there?” She said, "No, I am not going to meet anyone, I am a new joiner in the HR team". Madhu said to himself, "Okay! Okaaay! I can take time to know about her".

The first day at office for Archana was exciting and she tried to find where Madhu's cubicle was, but unable to see him later that day. Madhu left the day with much excitement and was eager to talk with her. The next day Madhu waited at 8.00 am in the morning to see her. She came by 8.10pm and was rushing to the lift lobby as she was already late. By the time Madhu could reach her she moved into the lift and left to the 4th floor. Madhu was totally upset and pissed off with this bad luck. The day was not so good for Madhu and he took permission for a couple of hours and left early.

As it was a friday evening Madhu came to chit chat with all our friends. Normally we use to listen to the 90's pop ballads during our meetings. The way Madhu shared his meeting with Archana was poetic, we knew that Madhu was developing interest on her. Coincidently the next song was Bryan Adams' 'You love a woman' and Madhu said he wanted a moment of silence to enjoy the song:

When you love a woman, you tell her that she's really wanted

When you love a woman, you tell her that she's the one

Cause she needs somebody, to tell her that it's gonna last forever

So tell me have you ever really, really really ever loved a woman?

It was Monday and Madhu had some personal work and came late in the morning by 9.00 am. He was flooded with his official work and totally forgot Archana. During lunch break he was eager to meet her and went to her cubicle, she was not there and Madhu came back to his seat disappointed. However something cool happenned in the next few minutes.

Madhu turned back after he heard someone calling him. It was Archana and Madhu had butterflies in his stomach, his heart started pounding. She looked at him with a friendly smile and said, " Yesterday, I came in the evening to meet you, but I was told that you left early." Madhu, "Oh yes, I had some personal work, so left early". Archana after a moment of silence said, "Actually, I wanted to say sorry". Madhu was confused but Archana continued, " Yes, yesterday morning I saw you in the ground floor, I wanted to talk but it was too late already, I thought I could catch you later but you left early". Madhu thought to himself, "How sweet...this girl is the girl of my dreams". They talked for few minutes before she left to her cubicle.

The next friday Madhu shared all the sweet moments of that week he had with Archana. He also added that he is going to propose her the following week. All our friends started cheering him up and wished him good luck.

The following week Madhu became much closer to Archana. They went together during breaks and lunch. She shared about her interests, family details, future plans etc. While she was talking Madhu was in a different world thinking to himself, "Talk my little princess, I have lots of time to listen to you, soon you will hear something lovely from me".

It was Friday evening and there was a slight drizzle outside. Most of the colleagues left already and the remaining were only handful. Madhu was looking for Archana and saw her standing alone near the window. Madhu neared her and asked, "Do you like rain?"

"Yes, I love it, its one of the most wonderful things that God has given us" She said. Madhu felt she was in an ecstatic mood and thought this is the right time to propose her.

"Why is that you love rain so much?" Madhu asked. She paused for a while and said, “I feel rain brings changes in life, a constructive change, a refreshed change, above all it brings happiness in me". She was so expressive and continued, "Its like rain washes away all the problems, worries, bag things in life, and I love to walk in rain". She noticed the silence in Madhu and asked, "Do you like rain?"

He paused for a while and said, "Yes, but I like you more than rain". She was dumbstruck and was not sure how to react. Madhu continued, "Will you be the rain in my life?"

There was a moment of silence; Madhu knew that she needed that silence much more than anyone else.

After a few minutes Archana looked at him and asked, "Will you walk with me?"

They walked together in rain hands together and hearts together.

First Love

First love

First love is always unforgettable and those special memories would always linger around for life time. It was in the summer of 1996, Rajesh was 16 years old and had entered into the first year of higher secondary school. There were some newcomers as well, both boys and girls in the class and it took almost a month for every one to know each other. That was when Rajesh saw Trinity for the first time. During break time, he saw her reading a book on Mother Teresa. She seem to have noticed that he was watching her and turned towards him. She gave a friendly smile and said, "Hi!” he responded back to her and continued "Do you really like Mother Teresa?". She said, “Yes, I like her a lot, the kind of service she did for the poor is something extraordinary." Rajesh looked into her eyes and got lost in its depth.

Days went by and his feelings for her grew more and more. Rajesh's friends were able to spot the difference in him and started to tease him. Whenever she walked in front of Rajesh, there were smiles, his name was being called out slowly. He felt like flying whenever she smiled at him. Whenever he looked at her his heartbeat would start pounding and adrenaline would start pumping.

It was the beginning of September 1996 and there was an elocution competition in another School. Trinity was one of the participants and Rajesh was excited to listen to her speech. The topic was, "Thamizh Mozhiyin Sirappu" and all the participants were trying to show off their skills. She came to the stage and started her speech with this great song of Bharathidasan:

thamizhukkum amudhendru per,

andha thamizh inbathamizh yengal uyirukku ner, uyirukku ner,

thamizhukku nilavendru per ,

inbath thamizh yengal samogaththin vilaivukku neer,

thamizhukku manamendru per,

inbath thamizh yengal vazhvukku nirumiththa oor,

thamizhukku madhuvendru per,

inbath thamizh yengal urimaichem payirukku ver, payirukku ver,

thamizh yengal ilamaikku paal,

inbath thamizh nalla pugazh mikka pulavarkku vel,

thamizh yengal uyarvukku vaan,

inbath thamizh yengal asadhikku chudar thandha then, chudar thandha then,

thamizh yengal arivukku thol,

inbath thamizh yengal kavidhaikku vayiraththin val,

thamizh yengal piravikku thai,

inbath thamizh yengal valamikka ulamutra thee,

The song was sung with such power that every one was silent. She then continued with her speech and when she finished the applause was deafening. Rajesh felt proud, surprised, shocked, amazed and had every other feeling in the world. She won the competition and became a star of the school. Rajesh thought to himself about expressing his love.

On 14th September, there was an educational tour which was planned to visit the Kalpakkam Atomic Power station. On that day, in the noon that Rajesh called her and said, "I have to tell you something". She said, "Sure, tell me". He was not sure about how to start the conversation however he brought up some courage and told her, "I think am in love with you, I like seeing you every day...". He didn't know what else to add as he had rehearsed a hundred times but fell short of words to express himself. However he felt nice that he had proposed her. She did not reply anything and did not show any emotions on her face. She left that place without uttering a single word. Rajesh's heart was pounding heavily again and couple of hours passed by.

All have left that place and started back to the school in the bus. Rajesh sat in the last seat with tears in his eyes. All students except him were singing and enjoying their ride back to the school. The school was only 30 minutes away, Rajesh leaned to his front seat and was wiping his tears slowly. Suddenly someone touched his shoulder and he noticed that his lady love was sitting in the front seat. She smiled at him and said, "I love you too". At that moment Rajesh felt that he was the King of the world. All his friends were loudly cheering at him.

After this lovely incident, Rajesh had changed completely. There was a change in his lifestyle, dressing, manners etc. They were the most popular pair during their school days. They came to school together everyday and left together. Those were some of the beautiful days of their life.

Well, those beautiful days lasted for one and half years until her parents came to know about them. Trinity did not come to school for a couple of days. After that, when she returned back to school, she did not speak to Rajesh at all. Rajesh was called to the Principal's room and was warned. After two weeks, she reached out to him looking worried and said that she wants to break up. She told him that her parents were very particular about their caste and that they would never agree for an inter caste marriage. Rajesh was shattered to hear that as he had never imagined that caste would play such a big role in their relationship.

Their final exams was fast approaching and that was the last time they saw each other. She came into his life, showed the meaning of love and then left him.

Years passed by, Rajesh completed his post graduation and got placed in a good job. His parents had arranged for his marriage with a girl who belonged to the same caste to which Trinity belonged which was a sheer coincidence. Rajesh decided to move on with his life.

Sometimes, Rajesh used to remember his first love however he does not regret, instead he cherishes those memories as it gives him immense pleasure and satisfaction.

I would like to quote those words of Lester from the movie, 'American Beauty' which says:

"I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me, but it’s hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst. Then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain, and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life."

 

Love versus Infatuation

Why love affairs at school do not succeed most of the times? Well, I don't have an answer. May be it’s not actually love, may be its mere infatuation. I had a couple of love affairs which started and ended by the time I finished my schooling. However, there is one incident that I would like to share. Before that I would like to say a few things about Indian culture. Love affair is almost a crime in India. Love marriages are not accepted in most of the Indian families. Majority of the time they will not get any support from the parents or other family members. This is the real picture of love marriages in most part of the Indian subcontinent.

I will come back to the incident that I wanted to share with you. Shankar is the guy's name and Sonica is the girl's name. They both are much junior to me in school days. Shankar is the first to express his love to Sonica. At first she did not accept his love but later on, after many requests she finally accepted the proposal. Theirs was one of the most talked love affairs in School those days. School love is a sweet feeling which happens with most of the teens. It is sweet because it does not care about future, security, finance etc. You will just fall in love and enjoy the moment. Shankar and Sonica too had the same feelings.

Their first hindrance to love came in the form of College. They both got admission in different colleges in different cities. Distance should never be the hindrance for loving someone but it did. Shankar met her only once in every month due to time and travel constraints. Sonica became friends with some hifi girls and her activities soon changed. She started avoiding Shankar's calls and meetings. Our guy became desperate and was curious to know the reason for her change of attitude.

One fine day, without any prior information he went to meet her travelling almost 500 kms. However she was not in the class while he went there.  He waited for few hours but never lost patience. Finally when she arrived there wasn't any enthusiasm in her. She said, "What a surprise? When did you come?” He answered, "I came in the morning, why are you not answering me these days? Did I make a mistake? You have completely changed". She continued, "I am sorry, but there are some things I have to discuss with you". Shankar was wondering what's in her mind. However she was cool and continued, "I don't think it will work between us, I know it’s hard but we have lot to achieve."

"Why? I have always been good to you, I love you so much", he almost begged. "Please don't do this to me".

"No, Shankar! I have made my mind."  She added, "Please don't ever call or meet me, this is for our own good." She seem to have decided already and said, "It's not only about me, it’s about you as well, you should study well and get a good job and if its god's will, we will meet up again." Shankar was shattered and shocked looking at her attitude. Before she was leaving, he said, "I will wait for you even if it takes the rest of my life."

Years rolled on, Shankar became an Engineer and got well placed in one of the best companies in the city. He was true to his promise and never let anyone in his life. Sonica also became an Engineer and got placed in a good company in the city. She seems to be a person who accepts changes and luxuries in life. The last time he heard about Sonica was that she's engaged with a rich businessman in the city. He was shattered to hear the news and wanted to talk with her just once. However when he called, she made it clear that it was over between them.

Shankar initially had difficulty in accepting the hard reality but moved on. He had the opportunity to work abroad for a couple of years and so he left his native. When he returned back after the foreign assignment, his parents pressured him to marry. But Shankar was still undecided and convinced his parents that he needed some time to decide.

Things quickly changed with a weekend get-together of his friends in a nearby mall. He met Sonica in a coffee shop who has come along with another girl. He was desperate to talk to her, but was hesitant because of his last conversation before her marriage. A few minutes later, he heard a voice, "Shankar, how are you?". It was Sonica and Shankar was so happy to talk to her. However the happy moment did not last long when she said the she got divorced. She was surprised too when she heard that he was a bachelor still. Both left with heavy hearts but promised to meet again.

Shankar was loyal to his love and kept his promise. I felt Sonica just had infatuation on Shankar during School days but at last understood the meaning of true love. They say true love never dies, so I will stop here with their story.

On a rainy day!

Love is a beautiful feeling and everybody has their own story. This isn't a story but a sweet incident which happened with a friend of mine.

Kamal the protagonist of this story is in his late 20's and lives a life of a typical techie. His motto for life is 'No Girls! No Worries'. However what he never knew is that his motto would soon change. He used to work from 3.30 PM till 11.30 PM, so by the time he reached home it would be quarter past midnight. After few hours of browsing social websites he goes to sleep around 4 or 5 AM and wakes up around 1 PM. This was his routine life. He lived in his own world of virtuality and living in a cosy apartment was like a shell.

It was a Saturday and it was raining when Kamal first met his lady love. He was returning back to his apartment after buying some household stuff. It was then he saw her for the first time. She had the most beautiful eyes that he had ever seen. Her face looked more brighter inside the hood of the rain coat. Her face was lit with a lovely smile while walking in the rain. Kamal was speechless looking at her as if he saw an angel. She looked at him and smiled. He could never forget that moment and her smile was captivating.

Days went by and Kamal used to wonder thinking, "where was she all these days?" There is a saying that Sunday is the best day of the week. Kamal felt that, as Sunday was the day of his new identity. She was a newcomer to the same block where Kamal lived. When he saw her for the second time, he felt ecstatic. She remembered looking at him earlier and smiled at him. There is no greater joy than watching a girl of your dreams smile at you. Kamal asked her, "Hi! Do you live here?” she replied with a smile, "Yes! I do". Kamal continued, "I am sure you are not from this place. How do you find your new neighbourhood?", She said, "Yes, I kind of like here". He wanted to ask her name, however he was hesitant. But something sweet happened again, "My name is Shiny", and she continued, "What's yours?". After a long pause he answered, "I'm Kamal". They were chatting for 5 minutes and then she left. Kamal thought to himself, "This is the best day of my life, everything happened like a dream".

As the days went by, their friendship grew stronger everyday. She was expressive and spoke about everything from daily affairs, music, sports to literature, Science etc. Kamal has been living most part of his life in a shell hence could not express himself easily. But the only thing he did was listening to her. He was a good listener and when girls get a good listener, imagine how expressive they would be.

Kamal shared his feelings only with a couple of close friends who advised him that one should not hesitate to express love. They also added that it is "Never too late!" to be in love and one should not be the last to express their feelings. Inspired by his friend's advice Kamal came up with an idea to express his feelings for her. He wrote all his feelings in the Guitar note that Shiny gave him earlier and planned to give it to her on the following day. He did not want to fail this time and so checked in the astrology calendar that the next day was an auspicious day.

It was finally the day to get his exam results. Kamal took courage and gave her the note, she asked, "Are you okay? you look nervous". Kamal replied, "Yes, Shiny! I am okay". She noticed the change in him and was wondering. Kamal felt so shattered as he did not get a response from her. "Oh God! I think I did a big mistake" he thought to himself. The next day he was so ashamed to see her face. He came to a conclusion that she wasn't interested in him and that's why she has not responded.

Hours went by and Kamal did not come out of his home during the day. In the evening, he sat near the window watching the sunset. He felt the cold breeze blowing and the sun looked amazing with its orange rays. Suddenly he realized that someone was waving at him and he looked down from the window. Shiny stood on the ground floor and called him. Kamal was overwhelmed with emotions and rushed to the ground floor within few minutes. Both looked at each other and smiled. Though Kamal was uncomfortable to look into her eyes, he asked, "Did you check the guitar notes?". She replied, "Yes, I did. I have also added a new note for a song by Savage Garden". Kamal was wondering, " Is she playing with me? She is acting like nothing has happened". She was about to leave and said, "Okay, I have to go now. Tomorrow you should play me this song in your house". Kamal was expressionless and went back to his room to try and practice the song.

He opened the notes and the pages that he wrote earlier. Everything remained same and there was no deletion or addition. He was fed up with himself and started to think about his future plans. After some time he sat with his guitar to play the new song note that Shiny gave him. It read:

VERSE 1

G        Am7      E#m7  C

May-be it's in-tu-i-tion

G                   Am7       E#m7

But some things you just don't ques-tion

C

Like in your eyes

G       Am7           E#m7   C

I see my fu-ture in an in-stant

    G

And there it goes

  Am7                C     D

I think I've found my best friend

    Am7           E#m7         C       D        Am7

I know that it might sound more than a lit-tle cra-zy

  E#m7   C2

But I be-lieve

CHORUS

              G       Am7       C                                                                                                                    

I knew I loved you be-fore I met you

D            G         Am7  C

I think I dreamed you in-to life

D           G       Am7       C

I knew I loved you be-fore I met you

D               G    Am7    C2

I have been wait-ing all my life

He started to play the song and after an hour or two he was able to catch the chords. He closed his eyes, and enjoyed the play. Suddenly something struck and he jumped off the bed and said, "Wait a minute! Is this true? Is this an answer for my proposal? Oh my God, what kind of an idiot am I?". He ran out and looked everywhere as he was desperate to meet her. But he could not find her and was about to leave but at that time he felt something and he turned around. Shiny stood near the doorstep, he looked at her with tears of joy and there was a moment of silence. It started to drizzle outside.