In Another city - Happy birthday to me!

For the first time in the past 25 years, I am celebrating a birthday in another city, away from home. I''ve always had the strange feeling of why people celebrate the day they become another year old. But I like cake (baked by Amma), payasam and Sadya. So  I celebrate. 

Google's birthday wish & lovely cakes! :P

Like many other years the passing year was eventful and full of surprises. So this year the biggest surprise is that I am celebrating my birthday in another city. And along with me, this blog too celebrates its first birthday. So Happy birthday my dear Blog!

There are few good things I developed in the past year. To accept criticism, To accept people with less brains, to accept the comments even if it hurts. Yes, Acceptance is something you can never buy from somewhere. It has to happen. Chennai showed me how life looks when you live alone in the crowd. It taught how good life can be! Chennai always gave me a feel that I am loved, cared and pampered. 

From the morning stroll in the hostel to the busiest roads to power cuts to fabulous colleagues to a happy office, I loved every single expression of Chennai. The sun sometimes was so cruel in summer to make me sick. The rains kissed like a lover and cured the illness. The buses were like jampacked suitcases where tickets are passed from one hand to another. The auto (aato as we Chennaiites say) burnt pockets. Month ends looked longer and salary days passed in a wink. Curd rice tasted better than any other food when the heat cramped the stomach. Became a non-vegetarian.

Websites looked like a group of codes with images and google looked like a boss with disgrace. Learnt to write some 'awesome' content for websites and looked upon with surprise at the e-commerce websites. Few unknown clients who had child labors (to understand this term perfectly, you have to be an employee of my company) at office who learnt more by talking than from books. Colleges looked more beautiful and charming from outside. Last, but not least, Have friends more than my fingers (read it as countless). And yes, this birthday is gifted by watching my golden fish, Thangameenkal, soon to be released in theaters. 

This is how I summarize the past year! Hope the life in this city, Chennai, never disappoints me...Smiles to the world!

In Another City - The 'O' mystery

So Chennai has this fascinating beaches, great night life and the unlimited freedom to travel anywhere alone at anytime. But it all started to make a sarcastic smile as soon as the alphabet 'O' became a mystery!

In Chennai, there is nothing which starts with 'O' in English. For them, its 'Aa' and the better you say it, the better you are one among them. In Kerala, we used to say auto, omelet and office with a stress on 'O'. But Chennai never understands this  'O'. From day 1 till here,I have been teased by my colleagues, friends and room mates for saying Otto, Omelet or Office.

Sooner or later the 'O' mystery got out of me and I started saying Aatto, Aamlete or Aaffice. Yes, Chennai changes you in the way it wish and not the other way around. Just laugh at the change twice and you'll find yourself amidst the bustling crowd in Ranganathan Street or the busy Thyagaraja Nagar. Yes, you're among them. The one who says Vadai instead of Vada, Dosai instead of Dosa with less confusion. Each time, I say AA instead of O, i used to wonder who was that fine person who hated O and what was the crime O did to him!

So to the aatos, aamletes and aafice, I love Chennai!! :) :)

In Another City - Introducing Chennai!

I am not sure whether living in another city brings out the poet in you! But yes, Chennai has always brought out the best in me! From a kid to a student to a MNC employee to an assistant director to a copywriter, it had seen various faces of mine! So starting a new series, about the life in another city. The new insights it gives, the stories it offers, cuisines i fell in love, the perspectives it changes and the lessons it taught, also about the good friends and the bad foes it threw at me! 

Here's what I had in mind when I moved in here, few months back. The journey from a jobless, shabby and lazy life to a routine, normal, professional employed life, is filled with stories. Those which I noted down in a diary will turn out to a book some day. But yes, writing a diary for more than three months itself is a surprise for me. Hence thanks to Namma Chennai!

When the crystal images shatter,
The dawn stared at her,
When the attires loosen its ends,
Life is at a brim.
Sway, Sway and it sways,
In a direction unknown,
 

And she stares back,
With less hope,
To see a bright sun,
At the closed window sill,
In a city that never sleeps.
No rules, No discipline, No love
 

Lusty eyes haunt,
Priorities points at wealth,
Deteriorated, she walks out
To the red carpets in hell

And again life is at a brim.

The hues of light reached her,

To make the lightest of the

Sober, Soft and Serene touch.

Tickled, she turns back,

Just to see, life in a brim.

Again, again, again,

Once again, try,

Told the wise,

She tried once, twice,

And till the stare followed,

No more trials,

Life is not a friend,

To offer the best,

Troll till you die,

Strive till you breathe,

Thrive till you sweat,

But still you'll see,

Life is at a brim!