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!

Thus came the wish!

A few months back, as said by the vegetable vendor Mohanettan, I peeped into my neighbor's green gate to check for a man named Ramaswamy. I expected a middle aged stout man who can clear the courtyard, but the man who greeted me looked old. There was a guilt arising inside and I asked very politely, "Can you please come and help me to clean the place?" He gave a nod, saying yes. Next day morning around 7.30 , this young - old man came home with his very own dagger and started his work. I got down to help him and he gave a serious grunt and said, "Move aside! I am doing this same job since thirty five years. I did the same when your grand uncle was here. No need of your help."                        

So that was how I know him. He lived in the one room outhouse of my neighbor, broom their courtyard at five in the morning, watered their plants, guarded their house, brought vegetables for them and smiled innocently whenever we met. He told me his story like many other Tamil migrant laborers have told before. He was from Royalpet in Tamil Nadu. Thirty five years back he came for work to Kerala. Then his family was in Madras. But sooner, as he said, came the tall buildings with boxes that gave jobs to many and our house was demolished by the government people. "They gave us 1000 rs", he said with an unforgettable grin. "Then I took them here, my wife and four children. My wife died some eight years back. " 

Now he lives in Calicut with his four sons working as laborers. I was supposed to complete the story. But every morning a man came and took money from him. Next time Ramaswamy came home, I casually asked about his sons. He said, "my three sons are happily married. But my youngest boy was a drug addict, now recovering. still he is not normal. So i give him money for food every day, a forty rupees.  He is married and have a son. My grandson is in tenth standard this year. He will pass and I go and meet him once in a month. I get a salary of 2000 rs every month and when i go for labor like these they too pay me well." I was taken aback. My neighbor's home is not just a home. It's a bungalow and for the money they pay, nobody will stay and do all these jobs. He has no complains, "i don't have money to find a home. here i can sleep with less worries." He never said, "they are exploiting me."

May be this is the reason why my garden has plenty of flowers, plantains have plenty of bananas and all the trees are just happy! He loves his work, so does the plants. He hate it when I leave them behind for days. He can't just stand the injustice humans do to nature. Why do man cut all the trees, he asks angrily. 

Today evening when he came, I asked whether his grandson passed the exam and he replied in his usual innocent smile, "Good to know you passed the exam. Now you have to go to college, lle?"I smiled and said yes. It was the wish from a man who inspires me every day. I didn't want to explain and say, "no i am asking about your son." I loved his wish which has nothing to do with me right now. Why should I spoil his mood saying, I passed my tenth some years back! I love this wish that came late and with a special smile. 

He has no sandals, no power glasses to read, no mobile, not even a cycle. But he has passed the most difficult exam. There are many who complains about a lost past. This man is in no hurry. He has little time to complain and more time to entertain. 

A man, in his seventies earn money to look after his grandson. Yet he smiles at his problems and greets the fortune called LIFE. 

Not every man can be a Ramaswamy. Each and every day, he can complaint about things around. But I have never seen him doing it. He works with love. What else can inspire a human life than seeing such a man every morning. May be the true spirit of life lies in between his toothless grin and the innocent smile. 

ഇങ്ങനെയും കവിത എഴുതാം !! :)

നിലാവിന്റെ ശയ്യയില്‍ നിറയുന്ന മൌനമേ
പകലിനു കൂട്ടായി വന്നിടു നീ
തെളിയുന്ന സന്ധ്യയില്‍ നിറയുന്ന മോഹമേ
ഇരവിലായി ഒന്നിങ്ങു വന്നിടു നീ

എന്‍ കണ്ണിനുള്ളിലെ പൂത്തിരി കത്തുമ്പോള്‍
കാവലായി നിന്നിടാന്‍ വന്നിടു നീ
ഒരു നേരം എന്‍ ആത്മാവില്‍ നിറഞ്ഞിടാന്‍
ശിഥിലമാം ചിന്തയായ്‌ വന്നിടു നീ

പിന്നെയും എരിയാതടങ്ങാതെ നിന്നിടും
സ്വച്ഛന്ദധാരയായ്‌ വന്നിടു നീ
പ്രണയമേ, നിന്നെ വിളിക്കുന്ന നേരത്ത്‌
മരണമായി വന്നെന്നെ പുല്‍കിടു നീ....

All in One

 

ഓരോ മനുഷ്യനും ഒരു കൊച്ചുലോകം ആണ്. ലോകത്തിലുള്ളതെല്ലാം അവനില്‍ അടങ്ങിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. മനുഷ്യനും ലോകവും പരസ്പരം ബന്ധിതമാണ്. ലോകം ഏകമായിരിക്കെ മനുഷ്യന് ജാതീയമായ ബഹുത്വം എന്തിനാണ്!! ചട്ടമ്പി സ്വാമികള്‍

This is a story which I scribbled long back here... Re-reading that story at a time when conversations and controversies are going on, regarding caste and creed. 

Past

My name is Guru. I lived in a sea side town. By birth I was conditioned to live in accordance to some rights decided by someone called the upper class. One day I broke the code of conduct, moved out of the den and left behind a girl whom I married. Then pretended myself to be a truth seeker. I landed upon truth one day which said, All in One & One in All.  I spoke about oneness and commonness. Then there came disciples who said, All in One & One in All. They spread it in such a way that every single human who wanted to break the code or who was in the verge of identity extinction ran on to me with fury. With that I became an idol. Then they called me Guru. I told them hundred verses to attain salvation. Then much more verses to attain happiness.

Finally one day I fell down from the vanity tree of worship. Bedridden, I laid for months and years. I treated myself, then came the doctors. They sold my diseases and made money. I jumped out of the bed, shouted aloud, All in One & One in All. None heard. I died after few days. Then there were stories about the light that zoomed out of my body. Some said, they saw me in the bus while traveling, some other claimed that I was on a coconut tree. But I was dead and on my search for a next body and place. I need to relive a better and happier life.

Present

I was reborn as a coconut tree. I am happy. I am taller than all these disciples. Most of them don't climb on my head. But still they made money out of me. They placed the board All in one & One in All in my wooden skin.

One day I saw some one placing an idol behind me. O that was me, the Guru. Then they left. My poor idol sat in rains and sun. Birds came and shit on its head. I tried shoo- shooing them. None heard. One day I fell down in the winds and I saw the broken head of the idol just under me. Oh! I couldn't bear myself. Thus I was dead again with all the coconut bunches that hung on me.

Future

I was not sure about the future. Now I have lived as Guru and coconut tree. Then I was reborn as a dog. Wherever I went, I saw my idol under a coconut tree, inside a glass cube. Under that they wrote, All in One & One in All. Then there were people to celebrate my teachings. They gathered once or twice in a year.

They were all of the same class and caste. The extinct, furious class whom in need of an out break came in branded dresses, shouted slogans aloud and forgot my hundred teachings to salvation. I barked at them. None heard. So I sat near the idol under the coconut tree and said at heart, All in None & None in All!!

A hand to start!

Hello World,

Hope all of you are doing good. I was busy telling people that I am doing something great for the past few months. So I couldn't come back here and write a few words. Like any other blogger, I am back here after a long time. But never underestimate. I was writing all my thoughts here. All of a sudden my inaccessible blogger page began to work and I am here telling you my stories. 

Love Life.. Live Life..

Aum 

Anjana