Madras nalla Madras

It's not just the place. It's not just the human psyche, playing games, matching places with emotions. Its not purely rational either. Its a bit of everything, culminating at times, into pseudo masculine tears, wanting to break out, because the emotions causing is like the place itself, a myriad mixture of nostalgia, sadness and pride.

Madras, now Chennai, has turned 369. Not that I need a day, a certain "Madras Day", to yearn for such a heavenly place. Like every thing great, it has its own peaks and fissures, making it a naturally beautiful scoop of Arun Vanilla Ice cream. Imperfect, hence beautiful. Like the scars on the moon.

I miss, a million genuine brown faces; the world famous Kaapi; finite but uncountable number of pullayaar Koyil; extremely unhygienic road side kai yendhi bhavans, being partial and waiving off the diseases, to people who shall eat there with hunger and compassion, feeding the road side rabid dogs; shirtless young boys sweating out in sun, playing cricket with a plaster of paris bat and stone stumps; dames with malli poo on them, strolling around the sannidhi's, multi-tasking, sneak peaking at the sneak peaking vetti male youth oglers; egg puffs at bakeries; bicycle doubles and triples ride; foot boarding pallavan transport buses; vetti jay walking at the spencers; soccer and beach bathing on saturday mornings at the marina; 12 Rs bajji plates at bessie; mun vaasanai, sondha mun vaasanai after the first few rain drops; Slum side carrom board competition, standing all the while; 15 rupees bottomless juice shops; karumbu juice and elani during agni natchathiram; innovative auto drivers mocking the west; deadly kosus and omnipresent household disgusting pallee's and the non perishable karapaans/paatchaas.......

"I remember a place...a town, a house like a lot of other houses....a yard like a lot of other yards...a street like a lot of other streets. And the thing is....after all these years, I still look back...with wonder. " Wonder Years.

Happy B'day Chennai! I truely love you. I dearly miss you. I promise and pray with great hope, my last breath will be in your arms.
Your loving son,
Kaevy

P.S This post comes after a long hiatus. Not that I wasn't writing, but its just that I dint feel like posting them. I shall try to be more regular.