எரிச்சல்...

எரிச்சல்...
அட படவா...


செல்லமாய் திட்டிக்கொண்டிருந்தாள்

திரையில் கொல்லிப்பாவை ஒருத்தி

கண்டதே காட்சி கொண்டதே கோலமாய்

சினிமா சீரழிக்கும் விதத்தை விந்தையை

கலாசாரம் பயணிக்கும் காட்டுப்பாதையை

சற்றே அவதானிக்கலாமென எண்ணினால்

முன்னிருக்கையில் முட்டிக்கொண்டிருக்கும்

மண்டைகள் இரண்டும் திரையை மறைக்க

அலுவலகம் கல்லூரியிலிருந்து வரும்

அனாமத்து ஜோடிகளால் எம்போன்றோர்க்கு

அடடா எத்தனை எரிச்சல்...

வரலாறு

ஒரு கணம் ஒரு யுகம் ஆவதேன்


ஒரு பார்வையில் பைத்தியமாவதேன்

எல்லாம் பருவத்தின் கோளாறு

இனம் விருத்தியான வரலாறு

தேர்ந்தெடு

ஏக்கத்தின் இலக்கு எட்டும் உயரத்திலா/ ஏணி வைத்து ஏறி எட்டி விடலாமா/ விடாது முயன்று கனியைப் பறித்துவிடு/ கரணம் போட்டாலும் ஆகாத காரியமா/ கடுகளவும் சாத்தியமில்லா கனவதுவா/ மறந்துவிட்டு மாற்றி யோசிக்கலாம் வா/ எட்டுவதா ஆகாததா என கண்டறிவாய்/ நல்விவேகமுடன் தேர்ந்தெடு நலமாய்/

Roaming fantasies

Clearly and curiously spousal adaptation is achieved when differences are admirably balanced by agreements. Among the agreements between us distaste for travel is a main thing. Lazy bones. We prefer armchair travelling. We have solemnly vowed never to cross the seas. No amount of persuasion from our children could make us apply for our passports to leave the country. It is purely for the sake of visiting our children that we ever dare to cross the borders of our Indian states. Our three children on the contrary, luckily for them, have easily adapted to globetrotting necessitated by their chosen professions. Onsite projects for long periods in foreign climes have been taken in their stride by them and their families. In this global era it is our solace that all attractions of the foreign countries are available in our own metros and even in our own humble city. Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai give us an ample taste of the flavor of renowned international metros- the shopping malls, their gaming zones, multicuisine eateries and a number of electronic gadgets of audio-visual thrills. It is amazing to see our brilliant grandchildren keeping apace with the latest game innovations. Their adept movements in front of the Xbox, jumping, swirling, swinging arms and legs for fast scoring lured even me to try playing the kinect games. To my great pleasure I find myself playing decently well my favourite game of bowling. Having seen so many wonders of global experiences arrived at our doorstep even some minimal traces of wander lust in us are entirely extinquished. A few days ago our daughter at present living in the US told me about the passion she has developed for lasagna. This stirred my curiosity. The very name has a romantic ring in it. Mothers and daughters generally do not have similar tastes is a universal truth. So this held me back for some time. But in a mood of adventure wanting to improve my GK I decided to pamper my taste buds with the fare from the Italian cuisine. I googled to find out where I can have the item in our town. I located La Vela Pizzaria which offered all Italian dishes in their original flavor. We found the place a cosy, small restaurant offering exclusively Italian dishes. The array of items on the menu card was impressive. Being a vegetarian I chose veg lasagna and my nonvegetarian hubby had mutton lasagna. The experience reiterated the universal truth about dissimilarity of tastes between mother and daughter! Well, the item was did not taste horrible. It was spicy enough for my liking. Still, I don’t think I’ll eat lasagna again. After a bite of burger and finger chips in this hot summer with the mercury level shooting up dangerously a lip-smacking icecream was inevitable. Many of the names of juices, milkshakes and icecreams found on the menu card were unheard of by me. I picked Arabian Fantasy icecream. Wow! I relished it tremendously. I may go for it again and again. When we both get bored with our daily sparing, safe food at home we make an escape to indulge our palate in the fare offered by the variety of eateries around us- something unknown till the last generation. But in spite of the variety of fare available now- in Dominoes, Mary Brown, McDonald’s and Pizzahut we both cannot help admitting the fact that the international fare can never give the satisfaction of idli, dosai, chutney and sambar of our traditional hotels.

A country mouse

Soon after we both conveyed the news of our proposed visit to his house in Chennai during this week our son asked if he may book tickets for the IPL cricket match for both of us. None of us including his family had watched a match live in a stadium. My hubby has a passion for sports while I delight in arts- We carefully avoid treading on the ground of the other's interest, the axis on which forty years of marital bliss rests being the fact that opposite poles attract.(Personally I still prefer to stick to my original agreement with the wise pronouncement that cricket is a game played by 11 fools and watched by 11000 fools!)

So hubby double okayed the plan while I felt hesitant. My first reaction was a silk(pattu) sari for Rs.5000 is a better source of pleasure. Daring to enter into an adventure and feel a new experience I reluctantly consented. As the day arrived I got fidgety and felt a sense of guilt to enter the stadium without knowing the ABC of the game! To relieve my discomfort hubby took a class for me a couple of hours before setting out. Feeling a little better after taking the crash course I began enjoying the fun- being all the while the butt of playful banter of the kids.

Long before approaching the venue all roads seemed to lead to Rome! Pucca traffic diversions have been made and almost everybody was wearing yellow T-shirts(our son and 2 grandsons included). I was amazed by the variety of merchandise sold around the stadium-shirts, flags, banners, bands(for the head, wrist),balloons, caps and ear-piercing, weird whistles and horns! If the sound outside the stadium was maddening what greeted me inside was more shattering. I was totally unprepared for the din- from the blaring speakers and the excited crowd shouting CSK to cheer the Chennai Super Kings playing against the Mumbai Indians! Exposing my ears to this amount of unimaginably high decibels for so long made me doubt if I shall leave the place with my hearing capacity intact! I cannot believe the sustained stamina of the lusty throats around me!

The air was electric with mad excitement. Teens and people in twenties made up about 90% of the crowd. It was a youth festival. I made many surprising observations of our changing times- my chief interest. Among the thousands of womenfolk assembled there except me and one or two other rare exceptions nobody was wearing sari or jasmine flowers. A very saddening observation- I heave a big sigh and my admiration for the graceful attire and flowers gets stronger.

To me the concept of cheer girls dancing had always been a source of curious amazement and sad helplessness of watching such trends sweeping the world away into crazy avenues of fun and enjoyment. Seeing groups of semi-clad girls hopping, jumping, shaking and dancing with pompoms was highly amusing to me! Drums Sivamani contributed generously to augment the din and decibel count.

How sad our maiden visit to the stadium should turn out to be a drab experience regarding the game played yesterday!!! Hubby declared his passion for the sport has taken a beating after the disappointing performance of the CSK. Very bad luck. We unanimously decided we shall never go again to watch a cricket match live! Not worth it.

There is a sort of resemblance between this lusty festival and my hometown Madurai's Chithirai festival(just a few days from now) conducted with great fanfare for many days. The festivities before and after the celestial wedding consummate in Lord Azagar's trip in Vaigai river on the full moon day of the month. For about a week the whole of Madurai seem to appear on the streets along with folks thronging the city from many neighbouring villages. All streets and roads filled with balloon/toy vendors and stalls put up by donors to offer free food and juices/buttermilk to the large crowds of devotees. A colourful, loud festival soaked in holy fervour! The piety and ardour for the cricket deity seems to be not less!