My first time in a “bar”

My first time in a “bar”…

Friends, I am surprised that it was only at age 44 – I got to visit a “live, thriving bar” for the first time in my life… it all began like this.

I have a good friend by name Jaya Rajgopal – she is a playback singer by profession. Her elder sister Mangala happens to be my very very close friend. In fact, Mangala’s entire family and my family have known each other for 20 years now.

Every Friday evening between 7 and 11, Jaya in her golden mellifluous voice – renders retro Hindi film songs in the “permit room/ bar” of Hotel Residency at G.N. Chetty Road. Jaya is usually accompanied by Sekar – who sings  in Kishore kumar’s voice and sometimes one Mr. sudesh who flies in from Bombay when they need an authentic replica of Momd.Rafi. The troupe as such is fantastic with Jaya’s uncanny ability to transform her voice to sound like Asha, Lata, Usha Utup, Roona Laila and even Suraiya !! In fact, Jaya is called the Asha Bonsle of Chennai. The songs all date back from 1950s to 1980s. I have heard Jaya many times in the TV and at informal family gatherings.. but at the bar – It happened when a valid opportunity presented itself, I had reason to celebrate my having passed my Msc ( psychology) course with first class marks. The minute the results came, instead of thinking “why.. I for a change thought Why not ?”.  I must mention here that this place is pretty decent, visited by family, aged couples.. mostly music lovers who appreciate good old melodies.

Off I rode my two wheeler and reached the hotel at 8. I inquired at the reception where the “black & White” retro was happening and they said “ first floor in the bar”. I rode the elevator with 3 men who got out of the elevator in the first floor and walked towards the bar – they appeared to be familiar with the whole place. Well, I stood looking at the door that read “bar” and walked towards it. The bouncer at the door looked at me and asked “maam – the restroom is at the other end of the corridor” . What ! did I look constipated or something that he should point me to the restroom !! I stood my ground and looked inquiringly towards the door that led to the bar. With a doubtful frown he said “ maam you want to go to the bar ? “  ( I thought to myself… it must be my dress – I had worn a nice salwar kameez that fell slightly short of having “pujyaneeya-behanji” written all over in bright print) I gave him my most confident look and said : “ yes, it’s the bar I want to go into”. He opened the door wide and in I strode. The three men who had gotten in before me – turned 180 degrees … and thinking - is this female lost?  I took in the whole ambience – it was softly lit and there was a centre aisle with soft leathery black sofas 3 of them one behind another like in a movie theatre and  on either side of the room were small semi-circular alcoves again with sofas and each had a largish centre table in front of it laden with food, beverages, cocktail, ashtrays and stuff. Of course, what took me by surprise was that the whole place was overflowing with people ! Every sofa was taken – full occupancy ! I strode ahead briskly and taking in the sights and at the same time combing the entire area to spot “Mangala” and my two other friends “ vidya and Meera” who had promised they’d be there. I walked right up to the front and had the uneasy feeling that you get at the back of your neck – when you feel people are all intently looking at a newbie that just walked in.

Up front – I spotted Jaya singing in all earnest with her eyes closed due to the high pitch and so, could not catch her eye – everywhere else that I ran my eyes – I could not spot any familiar face. That’s when I literally saw my confidence whooshing past or rather draining out all of a sudden. If you wanted to witness the “ fastest exit possible on two legs” – well, I had just demonstrated how it was done !! I ran out literally and the bouncer clearly had a smirk on his face that said – “ you take my advice and go straight to the restroom – lady …  you already look like you’ve had one too many”. Just as I whipped out my phone ( like the cowboys do their revolvers) – I heard my name called – “Padma… come in – why did you run away ?” That was Jaya’s husband Rajgopal holding the door open for me. I arranged my face in the best possible expression that would convey “ what are you talking about” and said “OOh! Lets go in then”.

There was my “gang” at the very first alcove tucked away at the very front – it had eluded my vision – maybe because It was kind of dark … don’t know. Well, relief was written all over my face and I sat between my friends… The songs were beautiful and it transported us to another era. Then, the others audiences – most of them diehard fans of Jaya – looked askance at me when I ordered lemon soda. By now, I had mastered the expression that conveyed “ I am a veteran hereabouts” … I keenly took in the expressions and actions of the people around and even practiced sipping my lemon juice like it was hard liquor.. People there were ravenously hungry I suppose – plate after plate of eats kept filling the tables and getting replenished. Little did they know that I had eaten “ rasam chaadam and more-chaadam” to my fill before I got there ! ( he he he.) 

At half past nine, both Vidya and Meera left. I stayed on as Mangala was anyway going to accompany me back home and she had planned night stay at my place. As the song requests kept piling and the songs went on from melodies to peppy numbers from the past – I could see a change in the mood of the audience – they were all “ on a high” and I could see people dancing. Mangala, who never misses any of her little sisters programs - was a regular here and so knew quite a few of the other “regulars” well. She was covertly pointing out the “who’s who” in the room and I was privy to some real spicy news on who was seeing whom etc. Then there was an actor, a couple of famous singers, a film director, richy-riches, politicians – so, in the presence of so many celebrities - my pupils remained dilated that whole night. 

The best entertainment, much more than I had ever bargained for, however came from an old man – in his late-sixties.. edging on 70s I guess. He was thin, a large bald pate with silky silvery curls around his neck, thinning white moustache framing his mouth, clean shaven,  thin but a happy face, bespectacled and sharp eyes. His shirt was tucked in, neatly dressed… he came and sat on the sofa right in front of me and Mangala.  For one,   he took to drinks like fish to water..he’d had the third glass refilled with whatever it was he was drinking. I noticed that every cocktail / soft drink served comes with a plastic spatula in the wine glass. I took mine out and drank my lemon juice, but I noticed some used it to stir their drinks. Maybe to mix the ice – I’m not sure.  Well, this old man  – he was quite a stirrer… for one – he had somehow found a connection between the rhythm and tempo of the songs and his stirring speed. As the songs tempo increased, so did his stirring speed. He did it amazingly well with a broad smile and not a drop spilled. He gave an altogether new meaning for the use of the spatula.  (I thought to myself …  maybe he got that way by practice…by staying up nights and mixing up the formula for his grandchildren .…)

. His stirring was accompanied by whistles and howls … howls that would put a whole bunch of teens to shame – and the best part was his jaunty moves – he’d keep the drink on the table, put out his paws like a Meercat and make those saavy moves with his shoulders – and slicing movements with his hands – and his infectious smile !! OH my God ! I laughed so loud the first time I caught sight of him – the singers looked at me in shock “ what is so funny in a love song” ? Mangala  smartly covered her face with her saree-pallu and giggled on. I could just not contain myself – I thought I was going to fall off the sofa and make a fool of myself. I was going to earn the title for “ the woman who got high on lemon juice”… with great difficult I got a grip over myself and resolved never to look his way. But, every now and then, curiosity would get the better of me and I would steal a glance his way and that would send me into peals of laughter. The old guy was so drunk that he was not put-off by our laughter. 

Well, thankfully the show ended and we could extricate ourselves. All the way home – with Mangala riding pillion, we laughed recollecting the old man and his actions. Well, I was later let in on the fact that this old man, was the epitome of dullness and sobriety whenever his wife accompanied him to other functions. You couldn’t catch him dead with a glass of drink.  His wife never fancied the bar and this was his “outlet”.  Poor man. I don’t blame him. In fact, I would not mind going to the show again – it would be a double treat – both music and entertainment

Who decides ...?

Today, I read an article about a man named Jadav Payeng ( of Assam, India) , whose village was hit by flash floods of such intensity that the entire belt of trees were destroyed and the land left barren. He then noticed that many snakes lay dead as they had no place to take cover. This lone man, worked tirelessly for 12 years, with no help or support in any form from anyone, took it upon himself to nurture and grow an entire forest of flora and fauna. He began with bamboo shoots, other trees and also brought in red ants from nearby villages to nourish the soil and did all what he could. Now there is no vestige of barrenness and the entire river bank area is a dense forest that is home to all sorts of reptiles, snakes, crocks, even wild animals.

Recently, a nearby village was ravaged by a wild bunch of tuskers and the villagers demanded that the forest be cut down as the elephants that usually traverse through the new forest were now invading their villages as well.
Jadav, an uneducated lone man – stood the wrath of the entire village that saw no good in having a forest in their backyard… They argued – “of what use are a bunch of rouge, wild elephants that destroy crops and trample all our homes, and are a threat to our lives” ?

Now, in the food chain and evolution of life – every creature has its place for a specific reason. It evolved due to a pre-defined plan, now, did this plan include the proliferation of human kind alone? Did this million-year evolution take place just so that humans with their sophisticated needs and life style be the deciders of “ who is useful” “ who is useless” ? If that is the case, then how different is it from the way terrorists think….

Terrorists feel that the “ soft-hearted” humans with values, morals and beliefs have no place in the modern society and so, they too, just “ eliminate” us common people , because they feel they are superior and have earned the right to decide who lives and who goes.

Well, we are all, in the food chain ( so to speak), helpless puppets – we may live today and perish tomorrow but not entirely of our own will – it all is decided by someone else…

Wayanaad Trip

Traveling in 2^nd class was not what we ( Rahul and I) expected – it turned out to be better than we expected. The bathrooms stink – be it 2^nd, 3^rd AC so, why blame the poor 2^nd sleeper class? –

With the windows open and fresh air streaking in – u get the feel of the journey first hand – I somehow feel it is only a 2^nd hand experience when u commute in the AC cubicle and the worst part about the 3^rd AC would be the different and horrible smells of food that one has to endure – it really is gut wrenching.

Well, this trip I am talking about was during the pooja holidays – we left on 1^st October and reached Calicut on Gandhi Jayanthi day.

On the very next day – we packed up and left quite early in the morning to board a Mysore bus – going via Wayanad – “kalpetta” is the town where we were headed. It was not a smooth drive – because the roads were terribly potholed. The kerala drivers however are specially recruited to fly past every hurdle at the same speed (roughly 80 Kms per hour). The sights were picturesque and with the early morning sun not yet risen above the mountains of the western Ghats – the shadows and mist, wind and partially sunny spots – were a treat to the eyes.

We reached Kalpetta – a smallish town with rambling hills and thriving fish and fruit markets. Wayanad , as we all know is a coffee and tea plantation area. And at Kalpetta – we “home-stayed” with One Mr. Murali and Mrs. Lakshmy’s place. Mr. Sundaram (Mr.Murali’s brother) was kind enough to drive us home in his ATV ( Jeep).Well, to put it simply – they live atop a hill. But to get there is not so simple. From the main road their house is located at about 7 kms distance and the hill climb alone would be a good ½ km. The beauty was that just like how we manoeuvred the 9 hairpin bends to reach Wayanaad ( kalpetta – after Vythri) – this little hill also had 3 twisting hairpin bends – with each bend the  inclination got steeper – the last one I would assume was at 65 degrees ! The surprise that awaited us was a totally flat hilltop on which stood two magnificent identical cottages. There is a huge car-shed between the two houses and a small tool room with an attic too. This room is for servants and drivers of guests/visitors. Mr. Sundaram and his youngest brother Mr. Murali have their abodes atop this hill.  The cottages looked like- they were out of a fairy tale – identical and beautiful with sloping roofs and a very beautifully maintained garden all around. Well, the houses had aesthetically designed interiors and exteriors. Special credit is due to the hostess Mrs. Lakshmy – a very creative person, who has done-up her house beautifully – a mixture of antique and contemporary art adorned the house. Of note were her hand embroidery, paintings and crochet work and not to forget her fabulous cooking !

We received a warm welcome and were shown our room upstairs – a large bedroom with a large bathroom ( 8’ x 8’) – spacious and very stylishly done with designer tiles and jaguar fittings ! The best part was the HUGE balcony next to the bedroom. This was more like a spacious hall with a high ceiling and instead of French windows, a parapet wall that ran on all 3 sides. This balcony had a nice cosy looking cot too. There were beautiful rolled-up, hand-woven mats that we could roll down when the sun streaks in the west ( in the evening) and can be rolled up to let in the gentle mountain breeze and a million dollar view of the endless stretch of greenery and silhouettes of gentle sloping hills in different shades of blue at the farthest end. The best view, of course was that of the meticulously maintained garden and green lawns below.

The hill atop which we were housed, is actually a coffee plantation. The entire hill is layered with coffee plantation. They say some of the coffee plants are 100 years old !  At the foot of the hill – there are plain grounds – with banana plantation, coconut groves, betel-nut tree groves, cardamom is an important crop. In addition – there are innumerable medicinal and herbal trees and plants – including betel leaves. As we climb down the slope, the vegetation grows thicker and thicker as we near a small patch of sandy bank –that is when we  come across small rivulet that flows at the bottom of the foothill. It originates at the Western Ghats and flows east – joins Kabinni river at some point. This is a perennial stream. It was about 15 feet wide. During rainy season this rivulet is known to swell up and submerge a good part of the flat lands at the foothills. Trees don’t get affected much, but other plants – decay and die.    The family members tend to the vegetable garden ( which is about as large as half a football ground) which is just behind the house – they grow ginger, arrowroot, some plant called the insulin plant, yam, beans, ladies finger, chow-chow, pumpkin, ash gourd, and lots more – I really cannot recollect. They have a garden shed with a nursery of coffee saplings to be planted during fall. The front garden landscaping is done very aesthetically with tiled driveways interspersed with carpet grass lawns, potted plants with beautiful flowers and rose shrubs galore.

We had a sumptuous breakfast – dosa with white chutney and poori with masala. We then engaged a cab to take us round some of the tourist spots. While we waited for the cab, we got to know the other family members – Lakshmy’s and Murali’s sons – Arjun – doing 12^th and Aravind – doing 8^th. Both children were extremely well mannered, friendly and courteous. We met Murali’s mother – a majestic and gracefully aging lady with intelligent eyes and a jolly nature. Then there were Obama and Sweety – two Labradors. All three of us ( jairam, Rahul and myself) crowded around the huge kennel – petting them. They are kept in the kennel and not let out much, as the dogs had a tendency to run away to other localities ( meaning other nearby hills with coffee plantations) to meet their doggy-friends.

The cab arrived – we drove a distance of 20 odd kms to reach “Banasura” dam. We need to climb up the Dam’s high and steep embankment to get to the reservoir. We chose to walk up a well trodden path and take a steep stairway that would eventually lead to the top. It was tiring due to the sun that shone brightly and we were sweating by the time we got to the top. There we walked across – a skimpy garden with lots of dry twigs and red mud. We bought tickets for the boat ride – a 15 minute motor boat ride. That was a “one of a kind” experience. I have once before been on a speed boat ride while we holidayed at Andamans – the choppy waters of the sea – its deep and foreboding dark waters and the never ending expanse of the sea added to it, the boatman’s fun at seeing my frightfully distressed squeals – all had made me decide that once and for all – I am done with boats and water. But, this was a calming and tranquil experience – the boat was fast, the waters were calm. The water was dotted by the wake of the boat, as we sailed further and further – at one point in the middle of this reservoir or lake – the waters, were for some reason, absolutely glassy – not one ripple. That gave me a queasy feeling – the blue skies, mountains, the trees everything was reflected indistinguishably – where the real thing merged with the reflection – we could not tell.  The whole thing was so surreal that it was unsettling, at least to me. Jairam and Rahul were having the time of their lives. ( They probably don’t think of death by drowning in the way I do! J)

Well, that done, we headed straight to another lake called the “pookode” lake. On the way we halted at the “lookout point” of the valleys below. It was a fantastic view.

By 12 noon we had reached Pookode lake. The beauty of this place was that the lake would be about a kilometre in circumference. The lake appears to be in a valley –its a naturally formed lake that is surrounded by a hills all around. They have laid a walk-way ( a cobbled pathway) all around the lake. This pathway is strewn with round pebbles and some concrete benches.  On one side of the walkway is a steep incline with thickets – lots of bamboo shoots … leading towards the lake and on the other side - steep incline – upwards leading up to the surrounding hills with very thick outgrowth of trees, including bamboo. You can hardly see the sky as the trees are just inches apart.  Rahul and I walked the perimeter – as we walked we saw colourful “ caterpillars “ and rare insects.  At the other side – the lake was just a few inches lower than the walkway – we saw schools of fish swimming happily in the clear water– unmindful of our prying eyes and camera flashes. One startling feature was, all through our walk around the lake, there was an incessant, vociferous and cacophonic chirp or creak or what ever it is that insect sounds are called. Rahul and I strained our ears to identify the source – but it was coming from all around. The peculiar thing was that the sounds would reach a crescendo and then all of a sudden absolute silence would prevail for just about 30 seconds and then, it would all begin again. Such noisy insects – they almost sounded like an orchestra – predominantly percussionists.

Jairam was not keen on this walk and so he waited for us at the park just inside the entrance. Some monkeys entertained him. It was 2 p.m. and we had to go to the town ”Kalpetta” for lunch. After lunch we had just enough time to visit another Dam called the “Karapuzha Dam”. Here we got a close view of the huge metal barrier that held the waters of the reservoir. It was sunset time and there were spongy clouds across the sky . The sunlight poured in as though through a sieve and it had a dramatic heavenly appearance. We headed back home. It was dark by 7 p.m. and driving up the sharp curves of the hill to the cottage was scary.

We bathed and relaxed. Dinner was served. Our host – Mrs. Lakshmy not only cooked fabulously but also arranged the eats on the table so attractively. We had “thenga sevai and Nimbu sevai with chutney” followed by buttermilk for dinner. As soon as we had arrived, I had had my eyes on the cosy cot on the balcony so, soon after dinner – I was eagerly anticipating the experience of sleeping in the open balcony with the chill mists rolling in and breathing in pure and fresh mountain air– Of course, I had a warm blanket. I somehow convinced jairam and Rahul that I would not die of frostbite and that I would be back inside the bedroom in half an hour… so saying I stretched out. Next thing I knew, Jairam was waking me up as we had summoned the cab -7.30 that morning ! Mrs. Lakshmy won our hearts with a special breakfast of “ puttu and kadalai” and “verum arishi adai with a special buttermilk chutney”. After a hearty breakfast we started on the day’s tour.

This day we had planned to go to the famous “Edakkal caves”. Edakkal means – a rock in between. It was some 40 kms away so, it took us about an hour and a half to get there. We were there by 9.a.m. I chose not to do the climb as I had a premonition about my legs cramping. I sat under a coffee plant – I was surprised to see that it spread out like an umbrella and it was absolutely comfortable to lean against its stump and listen to my iPod. Jairam and Rahul braved it in the scorching sun. They later reported that it was the wisest decision I had ever made – in not being my hyper-self and trying to be in two places at the same time. The climb, apparently was not only hazardous but absolutely nightmarish.  The first half was a winding and steep –clobbered pathway. Then began the “no-path” region. You just had to choose which rock you like and cling to it and hoist yourself up till you reach the top of the hill. Unwittingly ladies clad in sarees could not decide what to do – having climbed half way – and one does not have the luxury to change her/his mind once you have begun the ascent on the rocky path as it is wide enough to allow only one to pass at a time. Once they reached the top – they had to move in loops around rocks and small openings between rocks that finally led to the one huge rock that had somehow, mysteriously fallen between two rocks and this rock stayed wedged in between. Its scary to walk underneath it as you get the sickening feeling that it could get dislodged any minute and you will be history! Beyond that there is a huge cavern that has etchings or carvings done by some ancient tribe. These carvings reach up to the top of the caves – how could they have reached so high and done the stone carving – is a question yet to be answered. Yet another unique sight is that of an evenly spaced out crevasse – a bottomless pit – most likely formed when an enormous boulder must have cracked into two.

My men came back worn and tired yet with a sparkle in their eyes. Well, it had been a good 2 hours by the time they came back. It was now time to head to the one place I had been dreaming about – all along – the “soojiparra falls”. I was a bundle of energy while Jairam and Rahul were exhausted. It took as a good one hour’s drive to reach the waterfalls. I being the nosy parker that I have always been, interviewed a family that was returning after their sojourn at the waterfalls – I asked them “how was the trek ?” – they just smiled mysteriously and handed me a stump, a 3 foot long (stick) and told me only that will help me combat the ascend and descend. I did not realise the wisdom behind their smile and the stick till after the experience.

 “What you don’t know can’t hurt you” has always been Jairam’s motto and true to his nature, he led me and Rahul saying it is a small walk towards the falls. The small walk soon turned out to be a never ending clobbered path that went on and on. Just as we heard the whooshing sound of the water falls – I was elated imagining the waterfalls was just round the corner – badly mistaken I was ! Then began the steep steps – well, it was ok as there were just about a 100 of them – and finally began the steep descent – no steps – just rock faces cut to appear like steps – you just clung to anything , or any person nearby and moved as the gravity took you. Finally after this tribulation, I forgot all the leg pain when I saw the water falls. Of course, there were at least a 100 people around – but I had my eyes only for the waterfalls. Jariam, being the good Samaritan offered to take care of my handbag, clothes, towels, camera, chappals and of course “the stick” - he sat on the rocky shore and took in the sights.

Rahul and I did not bother changing into our swim ware as (a) everyone was in their best suit and (b) there was nowhere one could change. So, Rahul, clad in “killer Jeans” jumped in the water and was at a loss of words. Taking that to be an expression of joy, I too jumped in – only to be rendered speechless myself as my teeth were clattering so fast with cold and I could hardly get a word out edgeways ! Well, after the first wave of shock – it was pure joy ! Surprisingly the rocks were moss free and so not at all slippery. We walked from the edge to the centre and people already in the water, strangers, helped us with a hand or footing to hold on to. After exploring the different points of depth – we decided to relax – I found a beautiful spot – a wedge wide enough to hold me – between two rocks – the water flowed with great pressure, but by lying down with my arms around the two rocks – as if sitting on a sofa, the water literally lifted me and I remained floating in the ice cold water for nearly half an hour. The sad part was that no other woman went into the water – like me. It was only men and boys. I was the only exception – the brave lady ! Jairam waited for nearly an hour and then he barked out commands for us to get out “At once” – as, only that works when all else fails . The woeful part of this entire trip, I must admit was the gruesome climb upwards. Jairam went up in a jiffy. Rahul – the sweet child that he is, stuck with me through thick and thin and helped me climb. I was in tears after the steps portion got over. I was acutely aware of people staring at me – I must have looked like a cross between a golden retriever (with my hair hanging around my face)– and a duck .. ( I just could not bend my knees, so I took to walking stiff legged with unbent knees). So, my ungainly, wobbly pendulum like gait was an eyesore for Jairam who just fled the scene –( if anyone had asked him then, if he knew me- he most certainly would have resorted to stout denial –  “ never seen this woman in my life” ). Poor Rahul – he would probably have told ( if asked, whether he was related… “well, she is a distant – deranged relative”) he he he J !

Well, we got back home by dusk. I would have given anything to have been able to un-plug or disconnect my legs – and hang them in a closet till they stopped aching.  Well, Jairam wanted me to accompany him on a tour of the coffee estate – by foot ! ( so the prospect of hanging them in a was tossed down the chute). I went and enjoyed myself – in spite of the pain. I could see from Jairam’s expression that he was imagining himself tinkering in a garden of his own, nurturing the plants in his garden and all else that goes with being the son of soil. Well, his dreamy looks soon shattered and realised how absolutely impractical it would all be…. after he caught sight of me – the hilly-billy that I would make !!! J

That night Mrs. Lakshmy and her family ensured we would NEVER forget our stay at their place by serving us tasty “ Malabar Parota with Paneer Butter Masala and Rotis with daal and buttermilk.” Mrs. Lakshmy seems to have magic in her hands – the dinner was “out of this world”. Rahul ate ravenously especially given the fact that “paneer butter masala” is his all time favourite.

We slept like logs and next morning after piping hot coffee – we bid our goodbyes. It felt as if we were parting close relatives. Such was the hospitality of the Muralis. I shall long remember this trip and the fun we had.

We reached Calicut and my MIL was both amused and sad at my new walking style like a new species of  a Duck that has swallowed a pendulum !!  QUACK QUACK: – which in duck language means – So long . Till we meet again after my next trip – to wherever jairam takes us. :)

SOS village Pondicherry

http://www.soscvindia.org/charity/pondicherry.php

SoS village is more a home than an orphanage. What is unique about SOS village, is that its like a colony with many houses ( 16 cottages- in this colony ) and each cottage has its own garden, backyard where they grow a veggy patch and everything. Inside of the cottage is like our own homes - a nice cozy living room, a cozy dining room with dining table and chairs, from the dining area - large French windows leading out to an open garden, another large  cemented- open to sky area to let in air and rain, ( Kids use it as study area)  a largish kitchen and 4 bedrooms with bunk beds, wardrobes and study area. 2 very clean bathrooms, and 2 toilets. Then there is a backyard ( cemented and with a small compound wall) it has lots of clothes lines, a tap and a cloth washing stone ( like the ones dhobi's use). The whole house is compact, yet very nicely ventilated, airy and bright. It is spacious and has a feel of freedom about it. The small patch of garden in the front and the backyard is maintained by the family. The rest of the sprawling grounds and common play grounds, trees, lawns are maintained by full time gardeners working in the village.

Now, each cottage will have a mother ( a lady usually a destitute) who has been identified and screened to be able to take the rigours and hardships and challenges of being in charge and being a REAL and FULL TIME mom to all the children who will grow up in her household. Not more than 10-12 children are allotted to each mom.
The mothers chosen are usually in the age range of 25 to 35. They may be unmarried, destitute, orphans themselves, or abandoned by family ( husband) or divorced or widowed - anything. If they show the willingness and grit to stay put and support a family of children - they are taken in. Its a permanent job - not a job - its a life-time family commitment.

Why did we visit SOS village ?
Jairam used to be part of World vision and for the past 10 eyars, he/ we sponsored a girl child called "Gangamma" till last year. She used to live in a village in Bellary district - Karnataka. When the girl completed her standard 10, her family compelled her to get married. So, the sponsorship was complete as she had completed her studies.

In Pondy, jairam happened to visit this orphanage and saw the set up and immediately opted to sponsor a girl child's education ( till she completes Uni). They allotted a child named Divya ( 5 years old) to him. We went to visit the house she lived in, Each house in the colony has a name. A name that the mother of the house chooses. This house is called "Ganga ILLam".

There are in all 11 children in this house. The mother's name is "parvathy". She is a youngish lady - in her early 30s. Energetic and responsible. she initially had 4 boys and 6 girls - the last and youngest one being Divya. But 3 years ago, there was an addition - Divya's own sibling ( her younger sister) Ekavalli. The system of the village is, if blood related siblings are found - they are usually kept together in the same household. Divya and Ekavalli lost their mother 3 years ago, but their father is still alive and comes to visit them once a year. He is poor, but married again and in order not to let the children suffer under step mother - he has opted to leave them with SOS village. Many children have one parent alive - but due to financial constraints they leave the child with the SOS village.

Some other houses have a Christian mom and they allot all Christian children to her. Muslim mom and all Muslim children are given to her.  The idea is to not impose any new beliefs on the child - letting the child grow up in the same religion/ belief  it was born into.

When we visited, the time was 5 p.m., all children of the house ( ages ranging from 16 to 4) had gone out to play. They play from 4 to 6 p.m. in the vast grounds. They have a common club house and an assembly hall where there is a big screen TV. Some were watching cricket match Aussy Vs. Pak.  Many were playing football, cricket. Many kids have got bicycles ( sponsored)- they were riding in the colony. The whole place was vibrant with activity. With 16 households and each house having a minimum of 10 children, there could have been anywhere between 160-170 children within the  colony.

The moms face the same trials and tribulations as us, in connection with growing up teens at home. Each mom is given a bank account and a stipulated amount of money is deposited by the SOS committee every month. The mom has to budget and manage the household needs including contingency plans for sudden unexpected expenditure.

In this Ganga Illam - there is Vanitha - who is a puny little girl ( looks like she is 12 years old) but is 15 and is appearing for her 10th board exams this year. They have special coaching classes within the colony itself. The children who are doing 10th, 11th and 12th all assemble early morn at the club house and they study. From, 5 to 6 a.m. - there is special math and science coaching. (Some volunteering youth - teachers - drop in every evening and coach math /science etc. every day of the year ! They even conduct mock board exams within the colony for all the children - so that they get a feel of it and shed off the fear of board exams. ) Then after morn classes, these kids walk back to their homes, eat breakfast, take lunch box and go to their respective schools - the older children commute by public transport bus and the younger ones have vans etc. Many of them study in private schools - of good repute. But have to travel some distance .

The director ( a male) is the only man in the village and is considered the father figure for all the children in the village.

I noticed that the house is very clean and the kitchen spic and span - the mom of the house tells me that all children help her out with the chores. The older kids wash their own clothes while the mom has to take care of the ones below 8 and the older kids even help her out with drying them out on the line , folding and putting them in the wardrobes etc.
They have only now managed to find a sponsor for 5 washing machines. They plan to have a washing machine in one of the houses and the nearby houses can share the resource.
The mothers all wanted to own a fridge per house as  the perishable food was difficult to store. So, jairam managed to find 9 sponsors. Of note is one large hearted sponsor Mr. Murali Krishnan who dolled out Rs. 1 lakh and contributed towards procuring 7 out of 16 fridges. Jairam contributed towards 2 fridges while the other 7 fridges were sponsored by various large hearted people.  Now, each family owns a large 300 liter frost free fridge and the children get to eat fruits and vegetables that are fresh.


 It was a wonderful experience and we enjoyed the 2 hours we spent with the kids and the family. We had taken lots of chocolates and fruits for distribution. The kids of Divya's house had found a stray kitten ( abandoned) and brought it along to the house. they have named him Satchin Tendukar and they have even made a small cardboard bat for him. The kitty - uses its paws to strike a ball that is thrown its way and so, the kids are confident that he will turn out to be an ace batsman. I spent a lot of time with the kitty.
Other kids in the family, Anitha - she was adorable - she stuck to me like glue as jairam held Divya in his arms and Rahul was holding Ekavalli - the youngest one. Anitha who is around 8 very badly wanted someone to pay attention to her so she took me to all rooms, showed me her bed, cupboard and the certificates she had won etc. I think all kids are all brilliant and lovable - universally !

My stay at Pondycherry

Jairam had taken ill and was not well.  He called up on Friday night and overnight I decided to go. I took the early morning bus to Pondy on Saturday and reached Pondy by 9 a.m.  Jairam had managed to cook idlys.

It is a big change to live in a small town. No servant, no milkman, no known neighbours, it felt a lot like the first time I had gone to Raipur to start my married life.

I thought that the routine household chores like cooking and cleaning and washing, would be boring and horrible, but to my surprise, the routine has set in quite nicely within the first few days and I am surprised at my stamina !! I am actually able to sweep and mop the entire house without getting a back cramp !

In a small town like pondy, the best entertainment is in discovering the town. From Day one, I have made it a point to walk through different lanes. We are centrally located and the market or shopping center area starts at about 1 km distance from our house.

The town being small, walking is a good option, provided you are equipped with two things (a) Ear plugs (b) An Accident insurance policy.

In Pondy, pedestrians, automobile / two-wheeler drivers, buses, lorry and truck drivers are all given the same treatment and rights – You just drive on any side of the road, walk (if you dare), on the road ! The roads are all narrow – say about 25 feet width out of which, on either side of each main road, two wheelers are parked and so, taking away 7 feet so, that leaves out 19 feet of road for two way traffic. There is no such a thing called pavement/ pedestrian walk-way. If it exists, it is for the pavement hawkers who sell any thing ranging from clothes to fruits to stationery to movie CDs – you name it and you have it. And there are open gutters running on the side of the pavements – some open, some partially covered – so, watch your step ALWAYS !

All vehicles come with heavy duty horns and they are manufactured with a defect – it never goes off until your vehicle is parked and the engines are turned off ! So, on day one, I thought there was a whole fleet of ambulances heading on all sides – only to find out that starting from a dreary  “Luna to Innova” all had this perpetual horn problem. So, the urgent need for earplugs. When I was walking on the slightly raised pavement  avoiding the open gutters (and this was turning out to be quite strenuous as I would take a few steps ahead and then,) the pavement would be blocked by a regular hawker and then, I would have to jump on to the road and walk along with the live traffic of  scooters, mobikes, autos, cars etc. – Only I do not have this inbuilt horn ! I then, found out that in Pondy – you can become invisible !! because, all the vehicles that were cruising along side me – had not the slightest clue that I was a fellow commuter – only instead of wheels I was cruising on two legs. They just went past and did not bat an eyelid seeing me jump several inches above ground each time a horn blared into my ear or I was nearly crushed under some big wheel.  Weirdest of all,  this 17 feet road serves as a 4 lane traffic system – because, out of the blue, even on the left extreme of the road you will can expect to be confronted by an oncoming two wheeler or auto who just want to enter the nearest left side street !!  

I found  out that I had real good reflexes and can dodge, jump, run at top speed at signals so, and, admirably, even without an accident insurance policy– have managed to survive these past 4-5 days “unhurt”!! But, I would highly recommend an accident insurance policy.

Nehru Street is the main shopping street. It  is actually an extension of Kamaraj salai, it starts at the intersection of Kamaraj salai and Anna salai. If you walk on straight ahead – you will end up at the rocky beach. On either side of Nehru street are shops. Mostly garments, but also a variety of other shops. Nehru street has several intersections and each lane that cuts across is again an extended market area – each lane specializing in a different commodity. There is Goubert market ( Kuber in Tamil) A large square market with several access points from Nehru street and surrounding lanes as well. This market specializes in fruits, vegetables, flowers, poultry, fish, grocery, oil and so on. I have been only to one small part of this market. Vendors are friendly and haggling is fun.

On one other small lane – off Nehru street – they sell only jewellery – silver and Gold market there.

Right in the middle of Nehru street amidst the shops is also a large police station. To enter the police station, you need to wade through the thousands of vehicles parked outside it – a prospect that requires a bit of practiced hip swaying movements in order not to topple the rows and rows of two wheelers and bicycles parked there. Police men are jolly and kind faced. They just mind their business – which is to let things take their toll. They follow the non-interference policy. In this entire rushed city, with blaring horns and people flying in top speeds atop their vehicles, I have been lucky not to witness a single road accident . I guess, all people in Pondy are nimble and agile – always on top alert with quick reflexes. All rule breakers are tolerated with benevolent kindness and “ today you, tomorrow me” policy.  So, no fights on the roads.

On Sunday, I walked into MG street – a somewhat wide road –off Nehru street. Being Sunday, Several big shops were shut. But, the road was occupied by saree sellers on the pavements outside closed shops.  The sarees ranged from cotton to synthetic to embroidered ! A large variety. This is a special Sunday market.  The prices start from an unbelievable Rs.50 to Rs. 350/- Crisp cotton sarees starting from Rs.100/- !!

Yesterday, I came across one small lane – an offshoot of Nehru street – the lane was about 6 feet wide and tapered long and winding till it culminated into another lane – which was not visible in the dark. It was splattered with several tailoring machines and tailors sitting beside each machine. So, if you need anything stitched – you just go there, sit and have a cuppa with the tailor while your things get stitched !!   

I ventured into MG Road once again yesterday (weekday) and found that this is a lane specializing in Stationery shops, and Rice mandy. In addition there was a healthy sprinkling of  garments, and other shops as well. I saw a huge – very large Shivan temple and walked in. To my pleasant surprise, the temple housed several other deities. A well maintained temple – really large with the inner sanctum and spacious outer area. built as per ancient norms – it could have been an old and ancient temple – I did not inquire about its origin and whereabouts as I had no company. When I got out of the temple – right opposite the temple was “an Archies- old books shop” I selected several old English novels and paid a small sum. I was delighted at my find, but the shop has a limited selection. Lots of  books in French.

I walked on ahead and there beckoning to me was a large “ OM Namo Narayanaaya” and another large temple. Here it was lord Venkateswara – beautiful and peaceful ! This temple too was big, but not as large as the shivan temple. I then, walked on till the end of MG road and at the intersection of MG road and Anna salai. Jairam came to pick me up as I was totally exhausted and could not have walked one more step. While he came to pick me up, I waited outside the most peculiar Ganesh temple I have seen so far. The idol is a huge face of Ganesha – it is actually a Rock outcropping with natural formations of a trunk   and two sunken eyes. There is no body. The face erupts out of the rock and looks like an Ant-hill. It was fascinating.

At a distance of 5-10 minutes walk from my house are two cinema theatres. Balaji and Jeeva. They almost always play only Tamil movies, with an exception of an occasional Hindi movie. Now on show is “All the Best”.  Jairam and I plan to go to this one.

I have planned to go further up Nehru street in the next two days and find out what other treasures this nice town has !!

A memorable trip to Kancheepuram - pilgrimage

Sunday the 16th of October , was a memorable day with lots of treasured moments. My close friend Mangala and I had planned a pilgrimage to Kancheepuram , as I had never in my life visited Kancheepuram.

Since we had planned on leaving early in the morning to Kancheepuram, Mangala decided to spend the previous night at my place. She arrived by 10 p.m. and after having some buttermilk - told me she wanted a good night's rest as she was dead-beat.  Little did we both realise that we would both end up talking well upto midnight. Heads rolled mercilessly and we laughed uproariously till we hiccuped. Like Ghosts, we were up drinking water at midnight ( due to the hiccups) finally realising how late it was, we both resolved to catch up on some sleep as we would have to wake up at 5 a.m.

Mangala had arranged for a Cab and it arrived at 6.30. We were both ready and got into the cab - we had lots more to talk - lots of unfinished head -rolling and catching up to do. By 8.30 we had reached Kancheepuram. We headed straight for Saravana Bhawan and had a sumptuous breakfast. From there we headed straight for Kanchee Kamatchi amman kovil. There one Mr. Nataraja Sastry - (a friend of Mangala's) he is a trustee in that Temple, took us straight to the amman Sannidhi and we were allowed to sit right in front of Ambaal for a full 15 minutes and we witnessed, at close range, all the pujas and rituals underway. Mangala was so enthralled - she cried out of joy. She could not believe her luck. We then thanked mamma profusely and headed straight towards Varadaraaja Perumal kovil.

As good luck favoured us, the temple was devoid of crowd – we were a mere 15 people for the dharshan of Perundevi Taayaar . After a fleeting  3-4 minute dharshan we headed towards the Perumaal Sannidhi. It is notable that both the Thayaar and Perumal live in the first floor …(separate apartments though). The steps are steep and it would be at a height of at least 20 feet.) In a wait of 10 minutes, we followed  the queue into the “perumaal” sannidhi. A gigantic  resplendent idol. We got a fleeting 2 minutes in front of the Deity and then we headed towards the famous Golden and silver lizards. These are huge metallic images of lizards stuck to the ceiling of a small room housed in the corner of the same floor as the Perumaal. They have provided a steep two way ladder, on which people can climb, touch the lizards and get down the other side of the ladder.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bOqIiuRwYs

The third place was "Ekambareshwarar Kovil" - an anicent Shivan temple. Grand with beautiful acrhitecture. The main idol (Shiv lingam) of this temple is made of sand, and being referred as Prithvi Lingam . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv4oo1X6O9U&feature=related

In the above video you can see the mango tree ( 3600 years old) - famed to represent the 4 vedas.

Next was a pitstop was at the Kaanchi Periyavaal shankara madam. I wanted to use the loo. Mangala, being the pious one, wanted the dharshan of both the kanchi shankaracharyaas. Both of our wishes were granted. I was very happy to see Shri. Jayendra Saraswathy. He was sitting on a chair and blessing families that came to see him. We also did namaskaram and then went to see "china-periyaver" doing the Maadyaana poojai - it was during the "Gaja" ( elephant) and "Go" (Cow) poojai that we went. An elephant, a cow and her calf all three were made to stand in the hall ( they were being fed - so they would not be restless), while the acharya did the poojai. We did not wait till the end of the poojai, we left soon after.

We then headed to a place called Nemmili.  To the allegedly famed " Bala Thirupura Sundari Peetam". Nemmili was about 20 kms away from Kanchipuram. We reached there without much problem. I was expecting another sprawling temple, but this was in a small, narrow street - a nondescript two storied house. We saw rows of chappals outside and we left ours outside and proceeded in. There was a record blaring out " Nemmili Baala" songs - a sharp toned voice belted out in ear-splitting volume - much to our discomfort.
Here is where we encountered a "con" man.
Clad in a t-shirt and a blood red pattu veshti - that he had wound round his waist and draped the length of it like a saree. He sat in a "simhasanam" like cushioned chair and had a mike in his hand.
Out of the blue, there appeared a saffron clad shishya who asked if we had come by prior appointment – when we said no, its our first time here…he directed us to the sales counter that stood at the corner of the room – selves of knick-kancks such as stickers, small idols, photo frames, cassettes, CDs and small packets of chocolates. We bought 2 small packs of toffees. We were then asked to wait till the group of people behind the curtain came out. It was then out turn to walk further into the room and sit in front of a cluttered show-case laden with photos of all deities . I roughly estimated that the “con man” who owns the place would have invested something to the tune of Rs. 2,500/- in designing these shelves and a small wooden stage on which he had dumped all sorts of pooja samagris (paraphernalia).  On display on the top most shelf of the showcase was a tiny 2 inch statue made of some alloy … the tiny goddess “ Bala Thiripura Sundari”  was adorned in a rainbow coloured gown. The man claimed that the Goddess has been in his family for 150 years.
 The man spoke in "local- colloquial" Tamil narrating how the baby Goddess holds dialogues with him every day . He told us of her mood swings – when she would not fancy anyone visiting her and so, would cause small upheavals in their lives just for fun.  Examples he gave were – people taking take ill with fever, diarrhoea, nausea, hospitalization or  their car having a flat tyre so that the people would not turn up at her place and disturb her !! Well, can you imagine any God / Goddess being so mean ?. Ironically, Mangala and myself had turned up with no prior appointment.


This man had “Con-man” written all over his face – for one, he was too casual, leaning against the wall with one leg placed comfortably on the wooden stage while he pretended to mutter some Sanskrit verses and held a plate with a burning camphor , with a total lack of interest as he gazed steadily at the audience counting heads. That was the sincerity of his pooja. That done, he held out a tray on which he meticulously arranged some Rs.500/- notes to appear on top of the tray, interspersed with Rs.100/- notes and hid the Rs. 10/- notes under- so no one would dare  donate Rs.10/-. This indicated the end of show and we were expected to donate money.
I found a video of this place and the same man on youtube …please note - this video is in the year 2000 - 11 years before. Its the same man - but he is wearing something less scammy then..
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5dQyJzpOdc
We headed for Saravana Bhawan and had a good lunch. From there we went to a temple at a distance of 25 kms - called the Maha Meru Amman. This is on the way from Walajabad to Tambaram. Its a unique temple. In the midst of 2 to 3 acres of open ground, and some coconut groves is situated this temple. We were the only visitors. We had the temple hall all to ourselves. Its a huge hall that houses 16 Devis ( Ambaals) - There is a  photo and sreechakram design for each devi. These are mounted on a small mandapam. Each Goddess specialises in alleviating a different kind of problem, or in other words, bestows powers in a specific domain. (eg) studies, creativity, art = one goddess.
Well, that was the last of the temples we visited. We headed straight back home. A very memorable day - made delightfully fun and jolly only because it was my best friend - Mangala who accompanied me. Looking forward to going on more such trips with her.

My trip to Andamans .. A place where happiness pursues you !

My trip to Andamans .. A place where happiness pursues you !

I began packing one on 15^th Jan ( during pongal hols) For our trip to Andamans  to be on 25^th of Jan. With huge protests from all, I had to contend myself with making a detailed list of all the possible things we would be needing there.

I saw a program on National Geographic  on Jelly fish and ever since was on the alert and researched for remedies, if at all one were to be stung by a Jellyfish. In the process I learnt all about the life cycle of Jelly fish.

On 24^th – the day before departure I had packed my stuff fully and managed to convince both Jairam and Rahul to do the same. They conceded out of pity for the soul that had planned to pack 10 days ahead .

Day -1,  25^th Jan

The Kingfisher jet took off at 4 a.m. from Chennai domestic airport and we reached Port Blair promptly at 6 a.m. Needless to say, the pickup cab that was to arrive from our place of stay “ Andaman Residency” never arrived and we were promptly whisked away by a waiting tout who assured us that this hotel never sends pick-ups or drops.  While all other autos and taxis were demanding Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 from Airport to our hotel – Andaman Residency, this chap offered to drop us at just Rs. 20/-  En-route he lectured us on the prudence of utilizing his affordable services to sight-see as he was an expert guide with the “know-how” . We were bewildered when, after reaching he refused to take the Rs. 20/- immediately, but went on to display a touring sheet showing all the important sight-seeing places in and around Port Blair and finally concluded by stating the total amount of the “package –tour” as it is known. We said we would let him know later.

We had done our own research and so, settled for the Hotel of our stay to also manage our package tour. That way we would have more flexibility – time wise. This deal worked out slightly cheaper, but it had a more personal touch to it as the hotel people and the manager were friendly, cheerful people who were good guides as well.

The place where we stayed is a smallish kind of place and the room we were given was a family room with three cots in a row. The room was sparsely furnished   but with all the basics such as a split AC, TV, fridge and a huge attached bathroom. Ours was the only room on the top-most (3^rd)  floor and our room opened out to a party hall. On some evenings, there would be family gatherings or functions held in the hall, but nothing boisterous or noisy.  On our way in and out of our room, we would have to weave our way through the partying people who would look askance at us.

On the day we arrived, after the breakfast at our hotel ( the food was good), we set out sight-seeing. We went to all the local places first. It included 2-3 museums , a science centre, the Cellular jail - The cellular jail in itself was imposing with the numerous cells and the gallows that was a little way away.  We even investigated the bottom pit of the gallows. I felt a bit squeamish at going down those narrow steps at first – fearing that there would be some ghosts of all those men who were hanged to death there. But, I guess the ghosts are bugged of all those tourists trooping in and out of this place and they surely must have found “fun” places to haunt. We also visited  a local beach just 7 Kms from the main city road – called the Corbin’s Cove. This was the only beach with a long stretch of sandy shores and strong waves hitting the shores. Lots of coral and shell lay washed ashore, and Rahul and myself immediately set out picking our favourites.  It was dusk when we left and we went once again to the cellular jail to listen to the Light and sound show.  ( This show was so-so. And  by the time it ended I could hear  loud yawns all around me  and brawling kids wanting to go some place else).

That day ended with us having a nice dinner at Annapurna – a pure veg restaurant with decent food and from there straight to our hotel. Once settled we all gawked at the TV for about an hour and settled down to snore and dream.

Day 2 – Jan 6th – Republic  Day.

We were booked on a fairly largish motor boat named “Nadiya”. It had an upper deck as well – but only a roof that could be used to seat people if there was over crowding. This boat had a capacity to carry about a 100 people, but we were about 120 people in this boat.   It being republic day and with some dignitaries visiting the Island, there was a shortage of boats and also change in boarding docks. We had to wait for nearly 1 ½ hours at the jetty .  There were other similar boats docked and milling crowds tearing at each other to get in.  No body would be able to tell which boat was leaving for which Island, but still, people were boarding and alighting constantly due to this massive disorganisation. We were lucky because Mr. Shanmugam ( our Hotel manager) was able to tell us in advance that we were to board the Nadiya. There was a mad rush and a lot of clamouring to get into the boat. One would have to balance on a narrow plank to reach the boat from the dock. I managed to squeeze in and find a place for Jairam and Rahul.  It took them quite a while to board – what with the unruly crowd  - all with nasty tempers and pushing each other.

Once all were settled, ( some passengers had to go to the roof deck as there was no place at the main deck). We began our journey to Viper Island. We were given 15 minutes to see this place and get back. This is a teeny-weeny Island of a radius of about 1 km. The tsunami destruction was horrendous   here, with the landing jetty /deck totally shattered and we even saw the remains of a couple of big boats- smashed to pieces. Trees – all gone bare and the land barren. Here there is a hillock atop which is a church and also a gallows of sorts.  Rahul and I did not venture to climb up this hill. We instead went investigating this Island – around it. We came across an isolated beach with rocky ( big pebbles) beach. There were numerous coloured shiny pebbles – all smooth and rounded.  Flint stones were by far most in number. The sea water was calm and we could see a lot many fish near the shore.

The next destination was another Island called the Ross Island.  This Island is naval base and both the Indian Navy and Air-force commands operate here ( mostly to keep vigil over Indian waters). This is a larger Island with a radius of about 2.5 kms. Almost all Islands are high-rises from the sea. This one rose steeply up to a point and then fell steeply back to an opposite shore with a tiny sandy patch and mostly pebbly beach with hundreds of  coconut trees growing in total abandon . Also several trees had fallen victim to the tsunami and lay helplessly sprawled over the sea.  Two rare things about this Island – In spite of its small size, it houses at least 30 spotted deers. These deers are so used to human company that one can hand- feed them biscuits ( their favourite food). The next rare treat to the eyes are the ancient ballroom, church, office room etc. Once used by British Raj, now totally enmeshed by roots of Giant peepal trees. The brick structure of these buildings are totally invisible as they are covered  and matted by these roots.  It appears as though these trees that were witness to the gruesome acts of the Raj have held on tightly to the bygone era  to narrate their tale to the entire world.  

The final destination  of this boat was to North Bay Island. This took us nearly 40 minutes to reach from Ross. The boat stops ½ a km away from coast as the waters are very shallow. We were then herded in glass-bottomed boats ( 25 people at a time) and shunted to the Island. This Island had a somewhat long sandy beach to boast of. Since we reached there past noon, low tide had set in. On our way from the big boat to the shore,  we all could gaze down the sea bed from glass bottomed boats across shallow waters to view the live coral and colourful fish flitting about. It was a mesmerising sight. The variety , texture, colors and the vastness of the ocean – it gives us an insight into the magnitude of sea life and we begin to appreciate the glory and creativity of God. Rahul went snorkelling. He took to water like a fish. I, on the other hand did not take to water at all. The snorkelling gear felt threatening to me and when the guide instructed me to lie down flat on my stomach on the surface of the water ( with the buoy round my waist) I was terrified at the prospect and gave up. The guide was no doubt wondering what a water-hater like me was doing in the Islands ( because little did he know about my mission of collecting shells quietly on the shores.)  Even though I did not snorkel, I squatted in the water and took a good look at the bottom which was quite clearly visible. Jairam patiently waited with the bags and stuff till I got around to relieve him. He took his turn in the water. He did not go snorkelling either. We were at the beach for nearly an hour. A friendly dog kept us engaged.  He was adept at melting our hearts with his soulful eyes and we ended up buying a couple of biscuit packets and feeding it to him. He was soon joined by 2 younger pups and a female dog as well.   An incident that struck me most at this Island was – Jairam, Rahul and I went a little away to a lonely stretch of the beach and waded into the water. We discovered a huge coral – submerged in water. We were tempted to go and investigate. Suddenly from a crevice in the coral came a tiny fish ( say – as long as your middle finger and 3 fingers fat) Not threatening in the least. It was orange with black stripes – a bit like “Nemo”. This fish would swim in our direction with a fast darting motion and then pull back. If we attempted even to step a few inches closer, it would do the same. It never left the spot for nearly 15 minutes. It must have been guarding its nest. We then left as it was time to board the ship.  Like in Titanic – There was once again a mad rush to board the boats to shunt us back to the ship. I  once again managed to get a ride on the second trip and reserved places for Jairam and Rahul.

Back at Port Blair, we were picked up by Mr. Shanmugam and driven to Gandhi park. Since it was dusk, we could not see the beautiful park in its true colors. We returned soon after to have dinner and rest.

Day -3, 27^th Jan

This was the day I was looking forward to  most. It was a 29 km drive to Wandoor beach. En-route we stopped at a Government run Botanical garden. Nothing great about this place. We then drove through winding roads to Wandoor. We saw places that were permanently flooded ever since the tsunami and farm lands that were now lakes with rotting trees jutting out. The once famous route that took tourists past paddy fields, corn fields and sugarcane fields are no more. Just sea-water logged areas. In a couple of places, roads were totally ruined and bridges have been built at an elevation of about 5-6 feet to withstand any more tsunamis. We at last came to a white sand beach where  a lot of cars were parked. We had taken packed lunch, It was 11 a.m. by the time we reached this beach. We were assigned to a boatman – whom we were told would pick us up from the island beach whenever we desired to return. We boarded the speed boat. ( A four seater).  A ride that I will never forget ! It started mildly enough. Suddenly we were in the middle of the ocean and I felt these awful bumps from under the boat and with each bump all of us were thrown out of our seats – 6 inches above and bump back into your seat only to “THUD” and bump again. I though we had hit rocks and my fear was so intense that I did not even dare to yell out. I closed my eyes shut and prayed to God. I was seated at the back seat with the boat man( occupying the other back seat)– who was gunning the engine to its maximum capacity. While Rahul and Jairam had taken the two front two seats.   I so badly wanted to hold on to something that all I could grab was the back of Jairam’s shirt collar. Little did I know that I held him at a strangle hold – nearly choking him. The entire ride must have lasted 5 minutes, but the 5 longest minutes of my life. For poor Jairam who had turned ocean green due to strangulation took deep breaths to sooth his nerves. ( Who would have contemplated death at the hands of a spouse at a holiday resort in a remote Island !!). Too dramatic for one’s imagination. I felt sorry for Jairam after we got down. I promised never to strangle him from behind again. This was Wandoor- Mohuvadora Island. This was by far the most beautiful beach we had ever seen. Long long stretches of sandy beaches. The texture of the sand varied at different points of the Island. When we reached the tide was normal. There was about 20 feet of sandy beach beyond which there was a thick forest.  By the beach there were tall shady trees and shrubs, giving it a cool shade.  Rahul and Jairam changed and jumped into the water for test-swims ( like test-rides). They enjoyed the cool waters with mild waves immensely. After about an hour in water, we were all ready to go investigating the Island. We walked along the sandy beach for about 10 minutes and found ourselves a totally secluded spot under the shade of a huge tree. The sand here was smooth and fine. Jairam lay down to savour the tranquillity and peace. The sounds of the waves gently thrashing on the shores and fluttering of leaves in the gentle breeze broken only by bird twitters.  There were a couple of more families on this beach, but they were more like a bunch of show-offs ... snorkelling, thrashing in the water, trying to scare the fish - that sort of show off.   On this beach we found a friendly dog whose endearing pranks – we could not resist. She would run after us and if we waded into the water, she would swim in too.  While on the shores, she would make suggestive gestures by tilting her head to one side and WOOF at us asking us to play with her. Such a friendly dog – I’ve never met. We played a lot wit her. Then, my ”MISSION SHELL” began. I wandered about the shore for about 1.5 kms and found hidden treasure coves containing shells  and caves and also collected a great many varieties of shells. Many of the beautiful tiny shells that I would hold on my palm would suddenly start moving ! ( The creatures in them were alive and kicking), I would immediately drop them and set out to find abandoned shells.  On my way back, I even encountered a tiny sea snake that was gracefully gliding across still shallow waters.  Me, on the other hand, was taken by surprise and also fright ( even though I was about 2 feet away and the snake was actually moving in a direction away from me) I gave a quantum leap and succeeded in dislodging one of my slippers in the water that started floating in the direction of the snake and I fell with a thud on the adjoining rock – luckily not damaging the rock too badly.  I had the presence of mind to dive for my chappal. In the mean while the baby snake had totally vanished from the face of earth.  We had a peaceful picnic lunch on the beach at 1 p.m. and then took a nap under this huge tree. Rahul set about building a huge sand castle and he successfully dug out intersecting tunnels not only on all four sides but also one from top. It had a 5-way opening. The boats men would come once in a while to find out if we were interested to go in for snorkelling or on the glass bottomed boat. We refused and stayed put at our cozy patch till it was nearly 5 p.m. The boats man said high tides would begin now and it is best if we left soon.  So, ended our little sojourn at Mahuvadora beach.

On the way back to the speed boat – the friendly dog swam all the way up to the boat in nearly neck deep water to bid us goodbye. I had grossly misjudged  and underestimated the wrath and revenge the speed boats man had in store for me. This time, I only wrung Jairam’s fingers in an iron fist hold and as the boats man displayed his finesse at handling his boat as would a lion tamer in the ring – I felt more and more like a dead no, deader fish at the brink of being thrown back into the bottomless ocean. I had my eyes closed tight and little did I realise that my vice-like grip on Jairam’s arm had caused blood supply to stop and he had the realisation that strangulation would have been a better option as it would have ended it all at once, whereas paralysis would  be a worse form of punishment !  The boats man relentlessly drove at top speed where the front portion of the boat would be 60 degrees above water and the boat was riding entirely on its back ! As a grand finale, he made a “U turn”  that would put all the motorbike racers to shame. The boat literally was teetering on its side and after what felt like a life-time returned to its normal position ( which is 60 degrees nose up ).  Jairam and Rahul enjoyed this life-threatening experience  and were sorry when we landed near shore. Gods in Heaven and all 7 worlds would have heard my thanks and prayers when we landed in one piece.  My knocking knees must have started a new pattern of waves in the otherwise calm sea. I had a good mind to give a piece of my mind to the boat wala, but looking at the crestfallen faces of Rahul and Jairam (with his blue arm dangling lifelessly), I abstained.

On our way back, we stopped at a Rubber plantation and went through a tutorial of how latex is extracted,  how much a tree would yield per day etc; up to the drying process of the processed rubber mats. We saw the tiny manufacturing unit. Literally run by manpower rather than machinery. We also went round a spice garden and saw some spice trees. Did you know that if bitten by a poisonous bug or insect ( like scorpion) the latex that oozes out of the jackfruit tree was a good first aid remedy ?

Back to the hotel, bath, food, TV,sleep.

Day-4   28^{th Jan.}

10 a.m. we started for the Chaatam Saw mill. One of the biggest log saw mills in Asia. It has been in commission for more than a 100 years. We saw a museum there. Did you know that Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a cluster of about 557 Islands put-together? Of these several hundred are un-inhabited.  The mainland Andaman has forests that house wild Indian Elephants in addition to wild boars, deers and other small game.

The chaatam saw mill has its own shipping dock and the mills back side is open to sea. In the waters were immersed huge logs (for seasoning). We witnessed the entire process of how a huge log is hauled, stacked on a small rail-carriage, lifted, positioned, sawed by huge machines with really big saw blades  etc. It was really interesting to watch the coordination with which each machine is operated and the people work in synchrony.    It was 11.30 when got out of the mill and were dropped off at the Andaman Handicraft Emporium ( govt. Run). There we did a bit of shopping – but mostly sifting through the multitude of artefacts they had.    We purchased small trinkets as memorabilia. We then had lunch and by 2 p.m. at Annapurna and were ready for our trip to the Chidiya Tapu beach. The drive to this place was breathtakingly beautiful. We climbed great heights and then down what appeared like valleys. This weaving path through mountains with lush green forests on either side was out-of this world. Finally the descent towards the coast started. At the last stretch above us were layered forests with wild undergrowth and below us the undergrowth seemed to thin out and we could glimpse blue sea amidst small open patches. The mountain air was humid and the smell all around was “green-grass-with due drop”- fresh.  Mr. Shanmugam who took us in his car this time, regaled us with several anecdotes and incidents, politics, about the state of Andaman etc. Etc.. He ensured that we would return to Andaman Nicobar some other time (to see the Islands we had missed to see this time)  by his captivating narratives and descriptions. According to him, if Mahuvadora  beach was heaven to us, then the beaches of Havelock Islands and Cynque Islands and Neil Islands were 7^th Heaven.  Nothing in the world could beat these Islands in beauty..

Chidiyataapu – is basically a bay like curved Land mass ( part of mainland Andaman). We reached at very low tide time and so, we could see the seabed for as long as we waded inside. The water was still. There was a sea-weedy smell in the entire area. There was no breeze. Not even a leaf swished. This beach had a small stretch of sand. There were some people there, so we chose to move farther inward where we spotted a tiny bit of sandy patch. We walked for nearly 15 minutes on rocks and slippery pebbles and waded through still waters to reach this spot. Only when we reached did we see that the entire place was teaming with life !  The entire area was scattered with shells of all colors, shapes and sizes. All were moving ! The tiny shelled creatures all chomping about going about their business – finding food and shelter. In the stillness and slience, We could hear them rubbing shoulders against each other and moving about in their little armoured shells. Chink-chink-chink. The tiniest bit of movement from us – they appear to be highly sensitive to vibrations – sets them to en-shell themselves and stay still for some time. Then, they peep out to check if the coast is clear and then, once again chink- chink - chink - they start moving about.

I found a dead lobster of the profoundest blue- purple and green shades. Rahul was terrified of its dead body, but I was brave enough to pick it up and examine it at close quarters. It is known as the Devil Lobster. Had it been alive, India would have witnessed its next Olympic sprinter ( me! J). It is worth the mention here though, that Rahul and I won a special award... Jairam bestowed it on us jointly. Its called the “Best Shell pickers of the trip Award”.  Both Rahul and I unflinchingly faced grave dangers in trudging through the murky still waters with salamander, crabs galore and several fish( that we did not spot), in our mission to explore and collect as many shells as we could to take home. ( We found quite a few good varieties of coral too – they just wash ashore- begging to be taken home).

By 4.30, it was sunset time and Chidiya taapu which is famous for birds – which we did not find, is also famous for its sunsets. Rahul, being the good photographer that he is, clicked some very beautiful pics of the sunset.

We drove past the beautiful forests, ups and downs and reached our hotel for supper and sleep.

Day-5 , 29^th Jan, Day of departure.

The day dawned grey and bleak. It was heart wrenching to imagine having to get back to cooking each day, go shopping each day and clean and maintain the house and not even go to Marina beach or Elliots beach once a year!

After breakfast, the two lazy bones settled back in the room to watch TV and read. I took an auto to the nearby Gandhi park for a final adieu to this beautiful land. I sat on a lone park bench under a huge massive tree. The breeze was gentle. There were no other tourists except me. The gardeners were contentedly working  deftly and nimbly. I closed my eyes and savoured the oxygen in its purest form. The chirping and twittering of the birds. It was a heady feeling. I don’t know why – I felt like crying. I think I was too happy at that moment – You know like when you realise God or something. I don’t really know. But i also felt light and cheerful and teary all at the same time.   No sound of traffic. The lake by the side of Gandhi park with its rippling waters and silvery sheen in the morning sunlight and flowers of all colors in full bloom. What more can a person ask for in life ?

After an hour of this meditative silence, i went back to the hotel, from there to the Airport and back to Chennai, Back to the grind. But the happy memories still linger and will make me happy always.

If not for Jairam – Rahul and I would never have enjoyed this carefree trip. While Jairam shouldered all the responsibilities and chose to plan and lead, we enjoyed ourselves with not a worry under the sun. Because we knew Jairam would take care of EVERYTHING and he did. I am happy I married him. ( Its a shame I am telling this after 20 years of marriage !)