CONFESSIONS OF AN AMATUER BLOGGER

Dear Blog,

My sincere apologies, I haven’t been good to you. Sorry I did not keep in touch. Its been so long that i even visited you. I really do not even have a concrete reason to explain myself! There were so many issues that i strongly felt about and wanted to tell you but it stopped just there. And then there were days when I was ashamed of myself for not knowing what to write. From the last time I visited you, till now so many things have happened. The age old ayodhya verdict has been delivered. Yes you heard it right! Ayodhya verdict it is, After months of dilly dallying, Thalaivar’s magnum opus enthiran released and whatte day that was!, The Presidential couple danced to a marathi folk number, M.S Dhoni is no longer single, And I have got a job and an interesting one at that. Thinking of it, change seems to be the only constant in our lives of variables. I am sure your counterparts would boast of how people write to them almost on a daily basis or should I say an hourly basis?! But i am sure you wouldn’t want trivial details of how and why I zeroed in on those red polka dots socks or of why the girls go week in their knees over Robert Pattinson (that dude sheesh!!) or of whats happening in my life 24/7. I am sure you respect my space as much as I do of yours. And here I am not taking you for granted I am just reiterating that I do not want to defeat the very purpose of writing to you. Sometimes I wonder why the fervour that I had during the initial stages when I started writing to you is now slowly fading. Maybe the answer is, I am being lazy!. Hmm anyways, I am not going to promise that I will visit you or that I will write to you on a regular basis. But I am just happy that I actually wrote to you at present. Or should I rephrase it as guilt free:P .

Auf Wiedersehen

HUMANITY ON WHEELS

Flocks of people globe trot every minute. The travelling industry is booming like never before. While most travel to seal business deals, attend conferences there are also people who travel to explore. There is an element of mystique in the journeys we undertake. Nothing is worse than travelling in sleeper class from Chennai to Delhi or vice-versa! And inevitably, I end up in sleeper class however early I book my tickets sigh! Every time I embark on this never ending journey I diligently pray for good co-passengers. There is nothing to do in this tedious journey that traverses from North to South through barrens of vast land. This post is an account of the interesting characters I have met in my journey.

Cinema has spoilt us. Believe me when I say this. There is neither Shahid Kapoor who can distract us nor Surya who croons and can sweep us off our feet. It’s all good only in the celluloid. In reality we just travel with normal people. (Or that’s what been happening in my case! Lucky if you have met your loved ones on trains.)

CASE 1:
THE LOWE BIRDS:
They are common a lot. And I have never met anyone who are so into each other. So much so that they even shared the same berth (am not exaggerating!) when you are single and you witness such public display of affection it kinda gets to you but surprisingly all I wanted to say was “get a room”. But I must confess, it was great entertainment watching the birdies. Respite from the monotony of the journey.

CASE 2:
THE ANGEL:
Kids are adorable. Time flies when you are with them. One can just keep observing their cute little gestures and talks. I was lucky to meet one such angel. Jessica was confined to her mother’s territory. Despite repeated attempts I failed to evoke her interest. A pack of playing cards did the trick. We later bonded on the stone, paper scissors game. Her smile and happiness in winning the game gave me immense joy. I also learnt lessons on colouring and drawing from Jessica. She was my best co passenger so far.

CASE 3:
THE SNORERS
Nothing can be worse than getting stuck with grouchy elders who scrutinise and probe into your entire life history. It’s hard to escape their rhetoric. Sleep was my instant escape. I wake up only to be disturbed by the snoring of the entire lot in my bogey which was otherwise silent. I was fuming, their snores were deafening. I sat up the entire night counting exactly how many berths, rods, switches, fans and lights were in my bogey not to forget my battle with the mosquitoes.

CASE 4:
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Again a lowe bird but in a distant relationship! Figured out his entire life history through his loud talks on the phone. The most trivial of details were shared with utmost sincerity on a roaming call. How vain can people get! I must thank him for the amazing Ilayaraja songs he played throughout the journey. A pack of cards kept us busy from afternoon till night. We played nonstop. People from the other bogey's joined in too. That was the day I learnt tricks of the trade and became proficient in playing cards. I would be doing great injustice to this list if I do not include the platter of cuisine that is laid out. From the greasy paranthas to the vegetable that seems to be cooked in rancid oil, the smell of food hangs in the compartment. The vendors with their never ending cries of snacks, sugary beverages, samosas and cuppa’s of chai helps to fend of boredom. There are also the aloof kinds who hums to the music jarring from their I pod, oblivious to whatever is happening around. What really irks me is the intrusive passenger who barges in your compartment to plug in his cell phone charger. To top it all the persistent ringing of the cell phone wants to make me smash that piece of technological menace. And then you also have the introspective variety who are lost in thought gaping outside the flat glass panes.

At the end of it all, it’s the eccentricities of my fellow passengers and their idiosyncratic ways that keeps me entertained.

Dearest Chennai,

I yearn to look forward when I am away from you
There is something quaint that pulls me to you wherever I go.

Is it the warmth of people, sumptuous food, serene beaches or feeling of coming home?
It’s difficult to choose.

You provoked, stimulated and inspired me,
I am what I am because of you.

For you have instilled in me to believe in myself and be hospitable
You may not win awards for being clean and green but you sure find your way to people’s heart.

What is the essence of you?
Does it lie in the beautiful temples?, the bustling Ranganathan Street?, the expanding identity of its citizens, or is it the famous filter kaapi that is uniquely you!

Not to forget the Marghazi festive season and the beautiful kolam that adorns every house.

Where ever I go my heart will always be here, in the city’s length and breadth that I grew up in.


POST SCRIPT: My first attempt at poetry(??:D) I am scared, am slowly turning a regionalist:D