Water Fountain Blues

I still remember my first date with a water fountain. Hyderabad airport was newly built, everything gleamed in chrome and the signage were awesome. I saw that they had done away with the paper or plastic based water dispensers, there was a "fountain" instead. The instructions were clear, press here and slurp (yeah, I am aware of the connotations). There was even a photograph of a caucasian blonde drinking out of a fountain, ...made it all look like something very up market and sexy. How could I be left behind? I pressed the right button, made myself look all elite, bent my tall frame into an odd geometrical shape, opened my mouth in an angle that closely resembled palsy (with due respects to all sentiments)... Nothing happened! I fumbled with the switch again and pressed it hard. The girl next to me got the first shot of water in the wrong places, and shrieked!

it is five years now. I gave it a good three years to learn how to drink out of these fountains, and then certified myself untrainable. Those three years were full of free entertainment to fellow commuters, ugly looks and drenched vests...at times water did find way further down into those secret places that I don't want to write about.

I carry a used Kinley bottle with me for the last two years. I have made numerous grateful friend sharing this old bottle with newbies around numerous water fountains across Indian airports. I don't slurp, I drink ;-)

Another Day Another Time

For the time that I did not have with you, I do not blame you. For the time I had but could not spent, I do not hold myself guilty. I have observed that Life follows its own mysterious  rules. Some cycles are short, some long and winding, never ending. What roads will lead us on to each other again, I do not know. That our paths will ever cross again, I cannot guarantee. How will it be, should we meet again, I cannot foresee.

I live with my inability to learn from my past, I love my inability to predict the future. This life does not run on my terms, I am not the driver of this carriage. Should the wild northern winds that power my journey, breeze me your way, we shall meet again. And then what we go on to become, is between you and me and my chauffeur, destiny.

Forever Times

There are times, and then there are forever times.
The happy times that you and I remember, together
Are the forever times.

Smoking in your dads attic
Picking a fight with your neighbor cause your dog barked too loud
Riding a rickshaw with you behind
Blowing bubbles on your face, and you screaming about that stupid makeup
Playing in cold and dirty snow
Kissing with Cola and other exotic drinks
Flying a kite

Forever times...

Imagine

What is life without a little imagination. It is imagination, our how else would we know of pigs with wings and rivers with monsters. Everyday, I imagine a little devil of a dream, and I safely deposit it into my favorite dream piggy bank.

Over the years many have come true. The others are yet to grow wings. All my pigs will fly :-)

Letter to my Nephew

Dear Shyam,

Someday, you will be big enough to read this and feel proud of the family you were born into. We are no nation builders, we have had no prime ministers or presidents in our family. For all that you know, centuries will pass before you will read about any of us in history books. But you know what, we have been just as much loved by the creator. Our temple gods have protected us all through the ages and watched over us through the ages. We have had our ups and downs, but we have lived on:-) I have tried to capture our origins up to about 8 preceding generations in the family tree. Ask your mother to share the link with you.

You will agree with me, your mother is a very special woman. Stronger than steel, level headed, outgoing and loving. Also, I know no other person, living or dead, who could manage your father up to whatever degree she can. Every time I think of your mother, I am reminded of her grandmother, your great grand mother, Gauriamma. She was a special woman as well. In fact, the women in your family were all very powerful in their own ways. They independently managed great troubles and challenges in life, but ensured that their children grew up strong and adept at facing life's troubles. One of the reasons why the women in our family were probably more stronger than men is because until my immediate past generation, the nair society was essentially matrilineal. Women lived longer and managed the affairs of the estate better.

Gauriamma was greatly respected, feared, admired, loved and hated in our huge family. She was the eldest of five siblings and had all the pompous show off reminiscent from the time your family controlled vast tracts of land in Tiruvalla. She was a brilliant administrator, agriculturist, story teller and also a loving grand mother. Her power and influence on for of her grand children, I Rajani, Raji and Renjini were such that we are yet to come to terms with her death at the age of 87 some three years ago. We expected her to live forever. When she died, some 800 people descended to wish their last goodbyes to her. Such was her power.

Your mother and both your maternal aunts retain a bit of Gauriamma in them. They are very powerful women. When you grow up and take a wife, ensure that you allow them the space to grow and also ensure that they retain their independent identity. For when you run through rough weather, you need good company to see you through lives ups and downs. If you do so, I am sure that if it is a girl child you have, you will have Gauri blessing your life, just as she blessed ours.

Happy growing up.