Happenings

Lets say this year started on a bhakthi note. We have been to temples and doing homams , poojas and what not. Apart from the regular venduthals , we are trying to regularise our so-called-bhakthi-dosage too. In this 8 years of marriage, only recently we had this ganapathi homam at home calling only handful of people. Not that we dont like people around, but i just get jittery at the thought of calling his relatives home. The so-called pathu (procedures - dos and donts during the sacred functions) in serving and doing poojas gives me nightmares. With abundance help from his chithi we successfully crossed the first step. All i did was the basic work and basic samayal whereas she came and took over the sambar and rasam segment. Serving of food portion was unceremoniously handed over to her in order to observe the proceedings. Finally all went well. And to say about the vaathiyaar, he was exactly like the father character(jeeva) in Nanban. Only the cough was missing and also like the character in vaali where he would say to Vivek about his illness. Literally we can count the ribs and bones. Out of affection for aathu, he came and did this homam inspite of his non-commitment policy thesedays.....(aanaaalum comment adikkama irukka mudiyala). During one of the coffee break , P was asking his appa - Ennappa strategic time-out ah!!!!!!!!!!! too much cricket i say!!!!!!

P is having his whale of time with the ongoing holidays which started way earlier. Playing cricket and no classes (his amma had taken mercy and didnt put him behind the bars in the name of summer classes). This is how I used to enjoy during my hols. We would just go home for the food and sleep and nothing else. Would be always either in road or friends place. Though we played varieties of games these kids know nothing but cricket. Boys are always boys!!!!!! They dont realise how much fun they are missing......

Last but not the least......P came on TV last friday. I mean he was part of the choir group which sang on the New years days function in Centenary hall shown live on Jaya Tv. Thought we were given the pass we were unable to go inside due to heavy crowd. So we had to rush back home to catch a glimpse on TV. Though he was suffering from stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea the previous night and the morning, he went ahead with determination. And lo what did the kids get - packed veggie biryani on the d-day and biscuits, juices the previous day - rehearsal.

Thanga thaer

Long time prarthanai got fulfilled atlast. Thanga thaer at Vadapalani Murugan temple. So inime iam going to do venduthal for lesser known temples. In that way we can get some satisfaction. All the while in the temple, i felt like being in Saravana Bhavan. Enge paarthaalum their staff only. And right from the priest to the melam, thaalam and the sweepers everyone just encircle you for money. Even inside the sanctum sanctorum  they show you the harathi only after seeing the 100/- rupee note.

Aathu went on a trip to thirupathi after a long time by walk , i mean only from thiruthpathi to thirumala. Was boasting all the time about his 2.00 A M idli which was soft and divine. It seems Nagarjuna heads the kalyan puratchi porattam there....;)

P successfully took off his side wheels in his bicycle and learned to balance all by himself. So for the past 10 days only cycle stories - how i and his appa learned , where did we get our bicycles from and showing all the veera thazhumpugal which we got and making it up as the ones we got while cycling to motivate and encourage him. (hmmm... evvalavu poi solla vendi irukku). Now he is eagerly awaiting his annual holidays for his new cycle.

Of late, iam watching lots of movies. Athuvum i wouldnt wait for the plot to unfold, but would read the plot in wikipedia then would happily watch the movie. I found that iam more into animated movies, rom-com and sci-fic category. Iam so used to the sub-titles that i find something lacking while watching it without them.

As is the practice, i just ask P not only about the class but also about the lunch break and the snack break. Would ask him whom he ate with and about their menu. So on that particular day as usual was probing him about the snack break, and when i asked him about the sharing issue, he replied that he didnt share with anyone on that day.

Me : Y da P, why didnt u share today?

P : Amma, thats my problem, why do u worry at all

Me : !@#$$%%^ (better to keep mum - didnt expect this answer so soon , was waiting for min 10 yrs)

Spectacular festival

First time witnessing the festival and sure it did leave the best impression of the people. And to be honest didn't venture out just for encouraging or to be part of the same but as P happened to participate in one of the events went there early than the stipulated time. Well, P was part of the children's choir group that performed on Saturday. The event was also covered in DC main page 2. Ahem ..... PROUD OF YOU P.

Since we went early we were also viewing the other programs and I was surprised to see so many people there. They were all sitting there and encouraging  the artists. Kuchiaattam as they fondly call was just spectacular. It gave such  vibrancy and energy to the crowd that we were unable to take our eyes off. They are students of Madras University and in the midst of time where either people go behind carnatic music inspired by Supersingers and similar programs or Western music to just show off their hip-hop culture, it was refreshing. P thoroughly enjoyed their performance and was asking endless questions about the art.

Then came the music recital by another group and then again were encouraged equally by the audience. It was followed by the dance performance. I should say, it was spectacular. Kannappar story and the Gajendra motcham was taken as theme and i got an opportunity to explain to P these two stories. I think the success lies in attracting the normal day to day crowd who never venture into the so called sabhas for a recital. Next was the choir music and it was a mixed group and the children not only sang with enthusiasm and fervour but thoroughly enjoyed every bit of their time spent on the stage. The full credit goes to the teacher and she made them comfortable throughout their classes and rehearsal sessions. A special child was part of the group and i was literally moved by his parents dedication and encouragement. Never once they made him feel that he was out of the group , them i literally mean everyone - children, teacher and parents. Hats of to them. It just made me to retrospect myself and the manner in which i was interacting with P. Though mine is considered normal parental behaviour (normal varies from person to person ;p) , i thought i ought to be more tolerable and patient.

On the whole the festival made me to look forward to the day where i would be moving to the locality. I especially would like to live in the maada veethis . So far my wishes had come true. Been part of triplicane, west mambalam , and ashok nagar.(my childhood wishes and many of them had come true).

Due to time constraint was forced to skip the food stalls and the craft zone. But vowed that i would visit them leisurely next time with of course aathu at my side. (financier) Ennathaan namba kitta panam irunthaalum its not worth the salt unless aathu takes it out from his wallet. Always would ask before venturing outside - naan handbag eduthukkava illa vendaama, to which his reply would be - Eppadi irunthaalum open panna porathilla but still atleast mobile kaaga  vaanum eduthindu vaaa, shoppppping expeditionla engeyanum poitta trace panna venume!!!!!!!!!!

Random recordings

Well, iam neither busy nor sick. A phase where everything seems dull nevertheless it was a learning phase. The other day while commuting through the rangarajapuram bridge i had the same feeling which i experienced on one of the rides in MGM. Thank god it is one-way. How they get these marvellous ideas - God only knows. And to think P comes through that daily in his VAN gives me enough shudders that i shut the thought immediately. And another thing i noticed was the posters on the wall of the Government hostel next to the Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam. Invariably it was a gratitude to god for saving Rajinikanth. Appadi paartha it would serve the purpose only if it adorns the walls of the kalyana Mandapam thaane?!!!!!!!!! But the walls were clean without even a bit notice while they found place on every other available space!!!!!!!!!!!! Hmmm....

After a long time went to bessi and this time we just few feet away from waves and was just gazing the sea. P got busier with panju mittai and the sand castle while all that i did was just simply watch the horizon. It felt so nice and the only spoilsport was the frankie which we had in the shop next to cozee. Itukku ennoda  chappathi ye better nu certificate from P.... All times of India...........

Children are growing in leaps and bounds. The other day Ps class girls were complaining to me that he was teasing everyone and once a girl just hit him in the head. While i was relaying the same to aathu , he said, Paavam girls ,its okay da P , namba ellam thiruppi adikka maattom illa avanga bayangara weak.

Immediately he retorted, Illa naa adippen avala.

Hmmm... ennatha solla.

 And ippove the war started. Boys Girls nnnu.

As i have already told we live in the quiet neighbourhood which is the favourite destination of all the chain snatchers, stray dogs and not the least Lovers (most of the girls from nearby girls school) . Antha ponnungala paakarche , i just have this urge to go and advice them (vayasaiduchoonnu pala samayam thonum). Its very difficult to control myself and return. Iam not against love or something but sometimes i would feel not everyone would have the luck as mine. So better to wait atleast till u finish your schooling. And all the guys invariably look like some adiyaals in tamil cinema (no offence) and i feel such a pity towards those girls. Though girls are smarter these days some exceptions are still there.

And  i saw both 7th sense (Ps version) and Velayudham. Onnum solrathukkilla. I think comparison la Velayudam sumaranatha ayiduthu otherwise thaniya release aagi iruntha it would have been worse. 

In the pipeline - Tintin, Puss in the boots, Mayakkam enna and Osthe (just to have hearty laugh kalachufying both heroes in theatre along with aathu while P would reminisce both)

Kiddie talks - 28

Whenever P comes from school my first question would be -

Did you finish your lunch? Since i would be waiting at the gate for him (as he stepped into std 2 he told me not to wait and would throw tantrums if i did so, now it has become a practice - I would always love to greet whether it is P or aathu when they return home ) i would immediately judge from the weight of the bag. If the answer is no - then he would get an earful.

That particular day was his last working day after completing his exams(ippothan puthusu puthusa FA1 FA2 appadinnellam irukke - i like this old one simply monthly , quarterly , half-yearly , annual - how easy to remember) so was busy preparing his favourite paneer butter masala . He came bit early and so i missed out his van. I was in a jubilant mood since he kept up his promise of studying and doing his exams well. That day too he didnt finish his lunch and when he announced that rather meekly , i said "Its ok. But dont repeat it ever"

He got suspicious.

P : " Amma are you having throat pain"

Me: Illaye iam fine en kekkara

P : Illa romba polite ah pesariye athaaan kekkaren unakku udambu seri illaya.

Me : Cannot help but laugh shamelessly ;p

Now this has become our kudumba dialogue for ottufying when we behave strangely (i mean politely of course)

Its been raining Birthdays

We have been going left and right to birthday parties and having said that i should also say that "I just love it". Its like refreshing apart from the family functions or religious functions where you are required to maintain the decorum and the gossip mills going.... And its all ladies meet with an exception of two or three fathers who look like lost bakras in the midst of the chattering ladies. (Aathu is extra cautious and after one incident of the same kind avoids them altogether hehehee...) . Now-a-days birthday parties start with cakes and ends with dinner (no cooking yeh....) All i have to do is deck up myself and P nicely , get a gift (ithuthaan romba kashtamana part-to get appropriate gift-cos kids just tear then and there and react instantly) and reach the house/party place. Kids instantly fleece and abandon us. There greetings are just awesome. All 7 yr olds hugging and greeting each other calling machaan etc...... All the parents were starring like aaawwwwwwww.......Hmmmm time is running fast like the japanese metros......
Next comes the welcome drink...i sincerely hope they give us choices in this regard except for the poochi kolli marunthu - then starters they range from french fries - cutlet - chips.
Apparam the main attraction cake cutting - Inge ore senti oh senti thaaaan - these kids know how to hog the limelight - calling their best friends and asking them to stand next to them and hugging each other - birthday song - cake cutting - ippo ore oottti vidals thaaan they forget their parents also . Now starts the sole purpose of party - athaanga dinner......Ending la vethala paakku and beeda mattum and thamboolam thaan missing or else all the ingredients of marriage are present. But that too is taken care of with the return gifts. Host kku main test eh ingathaaan irukku , i mean the success of the party lies with the return gift. You got to make right choice or else ella effort um bulb thaaaan. Best choice would be pencil box or the latest cartoon sensations. They never get aluthufied to our kutti chatthans. ;)
Finally we hit the sack at 10 -10.30 , so it is best to plan the day accordingly with no samayal and no padippu on the particular day and not to mention no saapadu to aathu or only neer mor ;p

Random thoughts

Yesterday was P's Birthday. So before proceeding, " Happy Birthday P"
The whole week was hectic and my mood was like a roller-coaster. The swing was to the extremes and even the birthday didnt do any good to it. Main reason - aathu is not in station. Of late i have been having mood swings and does it mean iam getting old.
Yesterday was also the birthday of P's one of the best friend. So went to his birthday party and since aathu is not in station we are planning for one on Sunday. And P suddenly had this doubt.
P - " Amma naanum Pa(wooh his name also starts with P) vum twins ah maaa"
Me - muzhichifying "Illaye, en kekkara"
P - " We were born on same date illaya."
Me - (ithukkuthaaan ethaanum explain panrache ozhunga pannanum, ara koraiya panna koodathu) - same date but different parents illaya so no you are not twins.

The highlight was even in the party one of the kid had same doubt.
P was elated when his friend called him and asked him to stand beside him while he cut the cake and obviously the first bite was given to P and he was all the more happy on the attention showered. Though he is waiting for the D-day for all the undivided attention.