Chettinad - A synonym of Magnificence

We were travelling to the small village of Kandavarayanpatti and Alavakottai in Sivagangai district to attend the wedding of our colleague.

I was a bit sceptical when they said the marriage was at their home. Though not surprising, it was uncommon in present days and I was in for a surprise.

The marriage was held in their home and it was indeed splendid!

Their ancestral home was a typical Chettinad house where all the members of the family stayed together. The architecture of the house reminded me of the Naalukettu in my state -Kerala.
The house was buzzing with people and splashed in colour. There were a number of ceremonies as part of the wedding. And there's the bride and groom!!! All smiles !!

While the post-wedding ceremonies proceeded, we stepped out for lunch, which was at a different house. Though the Chettinad houses are mammoth-sized, the streets surrounding them are very narrow. 
Chettinad houses generally have the front door opening to one street and the back door opening onto the parallel street behind it.  
On the way, we were caught in a drizzle and reached lunch slightly wet. Lunch was a typical vegetarian meal with a number of Chettinad delicacies like vella paniyaram, paal paniyaram etc.

On the way back, we strayed a bit to take a look at the village. Suddenly, one of them shouted, "Hey !! Isn't this the house from the movie "Kandukondein Kandukondein"? ".It did resemble it on first glance. But it wasn't. As we loitered around the house debating on it, the owners of the house watched us from their terrace and invited us in to see the house. The house owners briefed us on the house and showed us around. 

According to them, this mansion was built around 1945. And you wouldn't believe it, this palatial house has around 60 rooms !!! And yes each room is numbered. Can't imagine the plight of the caretaker if it wasn't for that!! The rooms are numbered starting with the Pooja room as ''1''.
We were shown into the house through a heavy wooden door with intricate carvings. The door had a special lock system. The key itself was almost 4 inches long and heavy, it needs to be inserted in different ways to lock and unlock the door. If anyone tried to break in, a deafening alarm sounds alerting the household.

The Grand Hall

The grand hall was a long rectangular one with checkered flooring of 'Athangudi' tiles and painted ceilings which were common characteristics of Chettinad homes. The hall itself was divided into two parts separated by pillars of Burmese wood all along the length, one with a high ceiling and the other with a lower one. The ceilings were decorated and had imported fans and a chandelier. The higher parts of the wall were decorated with stained glass. 
The walls looked shiny as if it were washed with glossy paint. When enquired, they explained that all Chettinad homes used a mixture of limestone and eggshells on its inner walls which gave it a natural sheen !! 
On the corner stood a wooden shelf which we had dismissed as a normal one. But it was a cabinet which earlier housed a Radio box. Can you believe it, almost 75 yrs back the radio was almost as big as a box and now it's reduced to just a small piece in your cell phone?

The Central Courtyard

The hall opened into the central courtyard which has a system of water harvesting where rainwater flows from the courtyards to an underground tank. The central courtyard is the life of the house where gatherings and weddings are held. It is flanked by bedrooms on both sides. The courtyard then opens into a smaller kitchen courtyard flanked by a long dining area.

We then climbed to the first floor which consisted of a huge hall. And this is my favourite place. The hall is covered with stained glass which is again characteristic of all Chettinad houses. It reminded me of the century-old churches in Europe. The sunlight seeped in through the coloured windows making it all the more beautiful!! I could sit there all day on the long armchair, sipping coffee and reading a book !! <3 <3

Stained Glass

Metha Bureau

In the corner stood a huge cupboard called the 'Metha Bureau'.As the name suggests, it was used to keep the 'metha' or mattress. It had no shelves inside as the pillows and mattresses were just folded and placed inside. 

Finally, we moved to the terrace on the second floor. The terrace floor was covered with red tiles. We had a splendid view of the whole village. A typical view from all Chettinad houses !! 
And that also ended our tour of the magnificent Chettinad house. We thanked the family and walked back chattering about our exciting experience.

The Terrace

View from the Terrace

Do not miss a chance to visit a Chettinad mansion if you are around Sivangangai or Pudhukottai.
And if you happen to be in Chennai, you could also visit the Dakshinachitra Heritage Museum to see a replica of a Chettinad house.

PC :Panimalar Shanmugham ,Adheedhan Kumar

I've been to prison!

Yes ! you read that right .I've been to prison.But No ! I'm not a murderer!

Few years back ,I had been to Puzhal Central Prison in Red-hills, Chennai as part of community service  activities in our organisation.I grabbed the opportunity as I realized it would be a great experience to visit a prison.Not every time do we get a chance to see a prison unless of course you're planning a murder!

We ,a group of 30 men and 15 women traveled all the way from the south end of the city to the north end of Chennai to do our part of social service.
Puzhal Central Prison is one among the largest prison complexes in India .We arrived at the entrance of the imposing structure and were let in through a small door within the tall gate attached to the high walls of the prison. We were greeted and briefed by the Police Superintendent  - a lady. It was indeed a moment of pride to see a lady in charge of a high security central prison. She deserved all the salutes!

We waited at the security desk as they were getting the security clearances.Our phones were not allowed inside . As we waited ,I checked out the black board in the room which listed out the no. of inmates lodged there . Along with it ,they also mentioned the inmates who graduated from there and others who were pursuing their education.
We were then taken around the prison to see the activities undertaken by the prisoners like a vegetable patch ,sanitary napkin making unit and their library and meditation hall etc. 
We were then led to the sprawling ground , where there was a comedy show by a reputed comedian sponsored by the organisation for the prisoners.We sat alongside the police officers on a few benches on the ground ,while in front of us on the ground sat hundreds of prisoners all in white. I had a very unsettling feeling on realizing that I was sitting among the people who were labelled convicts. Some of them looked back at us ,some staring and others quite normal .It was slightly creepy and no matter what the comedian said ,it wasn't funny . There was this thought at the back of my head always " What if ....?" . The show ended and I was sort of relieved! 

Our next agenda was doing our part of social work.Our tasks included cleaning and trimming all the shrubbery around the prison and the men had a few heavy weight tasks too.
The ladies were grouped together and we were provided with our necessary equipment. We were also assigned an officer for our security. He was a young officer but wasn't a very chatty person.He took us to our place of work which was an area connecting the central gates and the prison . 
It was a very hot afternoon and it was visiting time for the inmates.An alarm sounded and a number of inmates kept walking to the gates to collect their packages .They were all in white cotton shirts and shorts, walking in small groups or some alone.We  took turns to do the cutting as we were provided with limited tools.
As we sat under a tree taking some time off ,and speaking to our officer ,we were joined by a tall person probably in his late thirties.He greeted the officer and then us and inquired about  how things were going . At first look , he reminded me of a sports teacher - athletic with his muscular arms , sports shoes , Lacoste T-shirt and tracks . He was pretty jovial and seemed learned.He also showed us how to trim the grass properly .The conversation continued for another ten to fifteen minutes. It was then time for him to leave and he shook hands with a few and bid adieu.

As he left the premises ,the previously  not-so-chatty officer became talkative. It was now that he made the big reveal !! He said the person who we had just talked to was a prisoner. And not only  "a prisoner" but a prisoner who was convicted of multiple murders and was sentenced to 23 years of imprisonment !!! He also added that he had attempted to escape the high security prison twice !!! WHAT THE ....!!!!! Imagine the horror we went through !! Our hearts and minds had mini explosions going on and the ones who shook hands with them were totally shaken!!! It was a clear lesson "Looks always deceive!! ". He didn't arouse even a little suspicion with his mannerisms and neither did we suspect him , as he was dressed slightly different from the inmates. He could've easily passed off as a physical instructor. That was a close call !! Anyway, that was the cherry on the cake and  my visit to the prison couldn't have been more thrilling than ever!!! 

What's cooking 'Ma?

Under the curtains of streaming sunlight,
And the particle-stranded rays seeping from the window,
She stands with a ladle,
Savouring the single drop on her palm,
Measuring the sweet, salt and spice.

The pressure cooker beckons with her high pitched whistle,
Like a train on a platform chugging.
The swirls of aroma from the steaming coffee,
The smell of butter from the golden brown toast.

PC:pinterest

She rhythmically chops the fresh garden harvest
As she taps her feet to the tapping on the board
The mixer joins in, whirling and swirling
The oven adds to the music with a ring
Her agile feet run to the whoosh of milk
Just in time to settle it down.

She hums a tune as she garnishes her dish,
With fresh mint leaves and a sweet little kiss.
The iron pan sizzles as water drizzles.
The hissing of the dosa and her fissing energy.
She ladles out batter and copious amounts of love.
She taps the wok and tosses the cubes,

Unfazed by the heat and flame.

The water gurgles and bubbles as it waits
For the dry leaves to infuse colour.
She crushes and grinds in a rock mortar
Chillies, cloves and spice.

The spontaneous splutter of mustard and the steam from the soup fills the air,
And out she comes  like a cherub
Holding the dish like a treasure chest.

As the steam settles down,
The battle yard reveals itself.
The spurts of tomato gravy on the wall,
The stove top covered in mustard splutters,
And bursts of curry on the floor.
The mountain pile of dishes in the sink
That keeps growing as she cleans.

The beads of perspiration that decorate her
The blisters, burns and bruises on her
That are disguised so well
With a warm little smile.
When melting in the sweltering heat,
She wets her throat with only a sip
And is careful not to drip.
So tell your 'Ma as you lick the dish
'You are awesome, your dish is a hit'

P. S : You could help her out with the dishes too!!!

Bug

I squint my eyes over the lines of code

the yellow highlighter jumping on every press

the red breakpoints lining the left

the screen keeps blinking

time keeps ticking

working like a sleuth to find the bug

inching closer and closer

not to the bug but a mirage

time keeps ticking

and the mouse scrolling

seconds seem like minutes

and minutes seem like hours

days and days trailing the bug

sniffing around like a poodle

suddenly I'm in,

inbetween the lines,

lines of infinite code,

I rub my eyes and there I am

following Mario ,in search of his girl

dodging big mushrooms

and overhead bricks

I slip into a tunnel

right into the desert

chased by a Dino who jumps over cacti

and then I'm running

right onto a train

grabbing coins on the way.

Grabbing a dime up above

and in a temple i am now

chased by the monster

whose idol I stole

I run into the temple door

ding ding ding

the bells all ring

ding ding ding

they still do ring

ding ding ding

the ringing doesn't stop

my hand hits the ringing source

and a blaring voice says

"I need the P1 bug fixed now !!! "

The Fluffy seed

Laying cosy in her pod,
stuffed along with her friends
was the fluffy seed.
Happy she was,
believing, in the pod

PC

she would always be.

One bright summer,Pop!
the pod burst open
out she was thrown.
Hither tither flew her friends,
the days of happiness to an end
Flying with the wind,
part, she had to with her comrades.

For long,she had company.
Though not friends,they were a group.
Over the fields,they flew,
the wind pushing them hard.
The white bundle of seeds,
gliding in the air.
Places they saw which
they had never seen.
Colours they saw,which
were never in their breed.

Day by day,their numbers decreased.
Tired were some and
on unknown soil they rested.
The wind lead the rest,
farther away to the distance unsaid.
Finally,we were two.
Just me and him.

Now,pals we became
and in him I trusted.

PC

Holding our hands,
soured high we did!
Lived through the breeze,
and even the storm!
Parted our ways,we did not.

Now it seemed cosier than the pod.
Wishing we would continue to be.
But Alas! The day came ;it did,
when me and him had to let go.
Aimlessly flying we were that day,
over the lawns and meadows green.

When a little blond girl,
jumped up to us and
in her hand was my pal helpless.
Struggling to turn back,
fighting against the wind,
I wanted to be with him,
and help him from
the trouble he was in.

Helpless was I and so was he.
Hopes we lost and our glee.
But a moment of happiness
swept through me.

PC

Opened her hand slowly she did,
and let free my pal to be one again.
But destiny had other plans.

Flew high did he
where the gust took him
but light years away were we.
Whoosh!! a gush of sudden wind
pulling and hauling me
to somewhere I never wished.

Distances increasing and so our woes.
Now it was clear,we were not meant to be.
Flew away did he to another land,
not a word uttered he,
not even a good bye!

I floated over seas and over mountains,
with no one by my side.
The colours now vanished,
all bleak and bare.
The ground lay washed in fairy white,
the leaves now buried out of sight.

Trees stood naked ,strong and tall.
The sky and land were a whitewashed wall,
searching for the horizon ,
I could find no more.
I slowly glided and lay on the ivory snow.
Cold and desperate ,I curled up alone.

The snow sprayed all around ,
the wind lend a helping hand.

PC

I lay covered in deep white clouds.
Thick white snow and layers of ice.
I lay there sleeping ,sleeping
unable to breath and choked.

Days went by and I lay there sulking..
I stretched myself but the snow tightened on me..
Breathless was I..
but determined not to die.

I pushed through the mud of snow,
one step at a time..
I made my way through,
but I guess it was the other side..
All the way back to where i started,
and further away my journey continued.
I continued with ease,
with undying zeal.

Now the mud softer on me,
slightly warm and slightly wet...
I raised myself over the earth...
and opened my eyes to freedom
The wisp of spring air,
the fragrance of flowers,
and buzz of bees,
the azure skies and cotton clouds ..

I had found my way and my destiny...

The Skype call

I opened my diary and turned to December 15th. Today's entry was only 81 words.Day by day my entries were getting shorter.I stared out of the window, people walked slowly in the garden while others sat on the benches  ,deep in thought.It was only their thoughts ,their memories which kept them alive but it was the same memories that kept them sober too.

I flipped the pages back to Feb 15th.The day I made 'the decision' or was forced to make it. I was shocked to learn how fast people's mind change,even your own daughter's.Raghav had died the previous year.Sandra was already married and settled in the US.She stayed with me for a few months, 63 days to be precise.I really didn't know what she was planning,because she never discussed about my life-to-be after her father's death.She seemed detached.As days past ,I felt she was being restless.Constant calls from her husband to go back made her frustrated.Every time I was around the corner ,her phone calls would become hushed.I began to sense the unhappiness in her voice and actions.She was starting to get annoyed by whatever I did.

I confronted her with the big question.She didn't reply.Without much of a pause ,I suggested I would stay here alone."No,we are planning to sell the house",she said without batting an eyelid.

Think Twice!

I woke up feeling unusually happy,

But my eyesight slightly blur.

Walked towards my study table,

Picking up my books,

I looked at them longingly.

Beautiful prose in untidy handwriting,

Quick illustrations and shabby notes.

Walked back to the window sill,

Sprayed water on my potted plant,

Inhaled the beauty of the world outside.

I turned to the wall beside my window and

Ran my hand over my medal collections.

I ran quickly across the room excited

At the sight of my beautiful wall paintings.

Mesmerized by the beauty, I slowly drifted

Humming the lines of the song playing on my player.

I stared long at the family photo in my wallet,

How much I missed them between the four walls here.

The door suddenly opened and came in my friend,

“Hi Natasha”, I said, but

She shrieked and ran back!

Walk the talk

In this age of laptops and smartphones ,where everyone's bums are glued to their chairs and necks are always craned ,its time to pull our butts off the chair and remind our legs how to walk!! Walking necessarily doesn't mean exercise ,it could be a leisurely walk with your loved ones to spend quality time leaving behind the technology leeches.

I have had a few wonderful walks in my life.Walks where talks were more ,emotions were more and where miles seemed short and time never seemed enough.My walks started with my family.We used to walk all the way to the nearby park during weekends. Grocery shopping was also fun when we went walking together.Coming back with a grocery bag in one hand and a tetra pack on the other and endless chitter chatter.From school news to office news ,future educational plans,vacation plans ,imaginary plans and what not!!
Then the leisure walks around the college campus after college hours.Licking on cold ice creams,or munching on hot evening snacks our gang used to roam around.Sometimes exploring forbidden territories chatting away.

I didn't quite forget walking after joining work either.Our idle time was spent strolling on the green lawns of our office pacing slowly around the magnanimous well maintained gardens.Talking about anything under the sky but work!! Sometimes it was to accompany a pregnant friend on her daily routine walks discussing what to name the baby .

Walks with my roomie were rare ,but the ones we had were beautiful.Blabbering along with no ringing phones,no office calls,no whatsapp pings and no fb. Just 100% plain and pure girlie talk ,gossips,banters,giggles and sometimes serious life matters.We would never realize how many topics we had covered.

Walks with besties are true treasures whether walking on the bustling market streets or the silent wave lapping beaches.It'll seem like everything around you is just standing still.Lost in the world of words.You know what bliss is !!

So what are you waiting for!! Pull your loved one by the hand and step out!

The Girl in the Glass box

The girl in the glass box
she never slept.
She looked at the painted glass walls,
Frantically searching for a way out.
She wasn't unhappy,
even though in a box,
Because she was herself
and followed her heart's whims!
She sang and danced and dreamt sky high,
and wrote and painted the tall glass walls.
She cooked and played 
and lived life her way!
But she was here..
all locked up and alone.
Surrounded by glass walls,
with not even  a hole.
She dreamt of the day,
she would be free..
She did what she loved
and didn't follow the crowd.
She didn't hide behind curtains,
when society scorned!
Instead held her head high
and walked straight by!
People and opinions ,
she heeded not!
Coz with bricks and bats,
She could make a home!
Fearless and bold ,
she was meant to be!

The Golden Lantern

I hung above the "Golden Lantern Inn",
been hanging here since the beginning.
I was all bright and dandy,
but now turning ninety.
I flickered now and then,
but I was alive and could ken.
Been guarding the Inn,
though inside,it's always a din!
But age was taking a toll on me,
my glasses cracked,
hinges hanging,
and light a tad dimmer.
I hung there everyday,
smiling on passer-bys.

One day,there she stood.
A chick ,she was, in a single glance.
Straight and streaked burgundy hair,
Pouting lips in bold purple lipstick,
a ring adorning her nose and belly,
cropped top , ragged denim shorts
and knee long black boots.
But she wasn't sexy,
until she looked up at me!
Her eyes lit the filament in me!
I glowed a little more brighter!
I hung staring at her,
as she waited long for her cab.
Bullies around ,gave dirty looks.
And whistled around her as she left.
She glanced not their way,nor gave a damn!
If a pet dog,I was,
would have bitten their asses!!

A regular ,she was at the inn
and customary became our visits.
Though she kept me alive everyday,
I was dying day by day.
Then came a day,so mean and cruel.
The winds blew hard
and the moon under hiding.
I tried to stay hooked,
to the hinges,clinging.
There she arrived unusually late.
Her hair tied into a twisted bun,
a full sleeve shirt and striped trousers.
Today looked like business for her,
though she was a party animal.

The winds gushed stronger,
the trees holding on to their roots!
She stood there waiting,
but her cab was found,no where near.
Came the bullies once again!
And today was their golden day.
They circled round her,
like hungry hounds.
They barked at her and closed on her.
She,not giving a bloody damn!!
But the alarms rang loud,
when they pushed her down!
She resisted with all the strength of hers.
But they began ripping and stripping,
and  longer I could not stare!

My light flickered and grew dimmer ,
and almost died out,
hanging by a small rusty hinge.
But ,let her die,I wouldn't.
I mustered my strength and
forced the filaments to light!
As I opened my eyes,
my anger began to rise!
Trying they were to eat her alive!
I had to fight for her life!

I rocked myself harder with the winds,
to rattle the shards of old glass within.
Fell a few pieces of broken crystal.
She picked them up and poked their hearts.
Still ,stood up one to strangle her!
but let go, she didn't ,any one!
Even then,came another big bully,
grasping her from behind!
The winds,now a banshee ,raging and furious!!
The moon came out from behind the clouds.
Now was the chance to strike!

I rocked myself harder and harder,
till the hinges were creaking and breaking.
Came I,falling down right on his head.
Fell I did,along with the bully.
But dead was he and safe was she.
Happier than ever was I,
As I saved her life.
She picked me up,
as my lights dimmed out,
Thanking me -"The old golden lantern",
As I fought for the ladies of the world!!!