Monday, June 29, 2009

Do you believe in ghosts?

It was one of those phases of my life when I turned into an atheist. I think everyone goes through this phase when you stop believing in God. Or may be, believing in God is a phase. Either ways, the concept of God is a very interesting one. It is completely irrational to some and yet comforting to others. I think God was invented to maintain law and order in the society, to instill fear (and not hope as many would like to believe) in people's minds and hearts. But with time, things have changed. Fear turned into faith, and now into superstition. Today, people are self-proclaimed atheists. And they're proud of it. They think being an atheist is cool. You cannot completely disagree with them now, can you?

Entering adolescence, my faith in God began to fizzle away. But when it came to ghosts, I must confess, I never not believed in ghosts. When I was six, I listened to my first ever ghost story. The bravest kid in our building, who strangely seemed to have such stories in abundance, narrated the chilling story. It was about the lady who was burnt to death with her family. It was rumoured that the lady used to go on strolls around our buildings in the middle of the night with her kids. All my friends confessed to having heard sounds of anklets around midnight.

A chill crept down my spine as I climbed the narrow, deserted steps leading to my mama's second floor apartment. I wanted to run, but I managed to keep my composure and walked home safely. I complimented myself on the kind of bravery I exhibited as I repeatedly told myself that ghosts did not exist.




I still remember that night. I had a hard time sleeping. Whenever I closed my eyes, I'd see skulls on dark backgrounds with glowing eyes. It doesnt sound scary but trust me, as a six year old, I found it really scary. That was when I put the habit of sleeping in foetal position.

Anyhow, the next morning, my mom asked me not to listen to any more ghost stories. For once, I agreed with her. But when you're with your friends, you want to act all brave. And so did I. (And I suspect, so did my friends) We all gathered around him and pestered him to narrate another one of those stories hoping against hope that he'd refuse. But we were all in for a nightmare. In my case, two. (You can read the story that he narrated at the end of the post.)

Slowly but surely, we began hearing more and more such stories. But nothing ever made me braver than what I were. My ghost-o-phobia went back to its peak when I saw "The Sixth Sense" by M.N.Shyamalam. So, when there is a power cut at night, I still find my way scary ,in the house, for a glass of water. I can still wake up in the middle of the night to take a leak but with such a fearsome goosebumps down my spine.

But more importantly, I think it has shaped my abilities to narrate interesting stories and exaggerate them. (Trust me, I was a boring kid)

Off the record, I am a favourite with my younger cousins for my story telling abilities. Reminds me of the brave kid in our building. I guess he was not that brave after all.

Quote of the day:
Of all ghosts, the ghosts of our old loves are the worst.

Arthur Conan Doyle

The story

A bunch of fourth standard students were to go for a picnic. They had all gathered in the school terrace before they were supposed to board the bus to a planetarium. The bus came and all the kids boarded the bus. Except two. When the teachers realised the goof-up, they rushed back to the school only to find the kids lying on the school ground, dead. When the classes commenced, one could still hear sounds of someone playing with skipping rope on the terrace. tak tak tak tak...

Friday, June 26, 2009

9 Things that Mamas and Chithis learnt from me!!

After writing the previous post, I was able to recollect my other adventures. Only this time it was with my mamas/athais/chithis and chithappas...

So here it goes.. These are some valuable points that are learnt by them from me..

1.Your nephew 'will' cry out of his head for a ride in auto-rickshaw (even when there is newly bought LML vespa waiting to take him around), only to get on it and sleep at once , slumber throughout and wake up only after reaching the destination. [“Mama scooter la kootitu porenda kanna” never works!]

2.Kid’s bite is poisonous too!! Milk tooth can also cause blood loss!! Beware!

The cause of the next two lessons learnt are the assumptions made by mamas and chithis. Don’t blame the poor kid..

3.You cannot assume that there is a western commode in every house hold. A kid seeing it for the first time will genuinely be appalled. He might try to use it like the normal ones – climbing on it, ‘punch’a’keep’ifying ( I don’t know what is English for “kuthavechu”), using the water from the tap to flush…etc etc. Poor kidL. So please take all the responsibility for the mess created!

4.When you take your nephew to a hotel, after you are done with the bill settlement and all that, he might ask “Mama inoru feshal dosa!” with glossy lips (courtesy: the ghee from the masal dosa which he just finished eating) and big round eyes filled with sinless innocence. You can’t refuse the ‘feshal dosa’ to your favorite nephew. So please don’t assume that your nephew is done eating and avoid such embarrassing moments.

[And it’s not finished yet...the orders might continue further to ‘thayir vadai’ also!]



You might encounter at least one such incident when you take your nephew to movies.

5.Take for instance; you took your nephew to “Roja”. One of the much hyped movie brimmed with love and patriotism. The climax is drawing close. Madhu bala is about to see Aravind Swamy across the bridge. Just then all of a sudden the poor kid might gently whisper “Maama moocha!”. You don’t have a choice but to take him to the rest room. When you are back, the end credits might be rolling. You can never complain the kid. He would’ve been so ‘chamathu’, sleeping throughout the movie without disturbing you. It’s all because of the AC theatre that you took him to watch the movie.

6.Carry enough money to buy stuff during interval. (Refer point 4)


7.Never ever take your nephew to serious movies like ‘Indian’. He might get all panicky and might want to meet his mom ‘IMMEDIATELY’ and flee from India to escape the British raj. He might never realize that a trip from Chennai to Madurai can at least take 10 hrs. Piteous little boy!


And if you allow your nephew to play along with your kids, please be ready to meet the consequences.

8.He might never hesitate to abandon your child and run when hectored by the big boys in your apartments.

9.You might see your nephew riding the new bi-cycle that you gave to your child and your child running along with him – just running.. And when you ask your kid about this incident few days after your nephew left to his place, all you can do is - go gaga.

“Enda kanna! Annan cycle otite irunthan nee koodave oditu irunthiye en?”

(“Dear why were you running along when your brother was riding the cycle?”)

“Annan than ma sonnanga, “Leg movementsa paaru. Neeyum athe movement than panra, nanum athe movement than panren. Nan cycle la panren, nee tharai la panra!” apdninu”

(“Brother told me this ma “see the leg movements da, I am doing the same movements on the cycle and you are doing it on the ground. Whats the difference?”)

Now you might want to hit yourself for many incomprehensible feelings.

BEWARE of nephews!!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

15 Lessons that my parents learnt from me!!

Note: Bringing up a baby is an experience in itself. Bringing up a nutty baby gives wisdom

The following points are important lessons that my parents learnt in the first five years of my life when they tried to bring me up.

1) A king size water bed holds enough water to fill your neighbours house four inches deep.

2) If you pour kerosene on the leather cushion cover and light them with match sticks, they can ignite.

3) A 3-year-old's voice is louder than the priest's voice in a temple.

4) Keep paintbrushes out of reach of children, if you dont want a 'colour' TV - literally..

5) You should not throw tennis balls up when the ceiling fan is on. When using the ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a tennis ball a long way

6) Always have wooden windows. Never ever have glass windows.

7) When you hear the toilet flush and the words "hehehe", it's already too late.





8) Never ever insert a screw driver inside the electric-power socket.

9) A magnifying glass can burn your feet even on an overcast day. So parents! stay away from your children when they have a magnifying glass in their hands

10) When your three year old is playing with a small bean and if the bean can't be seen, chances are that the bean will be inside the nose or the ears of the child.

11) Chewing gums can also be swallowed.

12) If your child is less than two years of age and if he is not wearing his nappy, do mind your steps.

13) A 4 year old kid can throw his neighbour's keys into the gutter and make his father take it out :)

14) Your child might eat, sleep or even poop only if his favorite 'He-Man' toy does it :) Yes, he/she can be that ridiculous.

15) Kids can eat 12 gulab-jamoons without any difficulty. Seriously!!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

'சிட்டி'சன்


நாரை நடக்கும்
குளத்தில்
நண்டு பிடிச்சதில்ல..

முங்கு நீச்சல்
போட்டியில்
மூச்சுத் திணறி எழுந்ததில்ல..

கண் பறிச்சு
வெல்லமிட்டு
வெடி தேங்கா தின்னதில்ல..

அடுக்குப் பானை
அரிசி திருடி
ஆற்றுச் சோறு ஆக்கியதில்ல..

நெளிந்தோடும் பாம்பு
தலைய
நாசூக்கா பிடிச்சதில்ல..

ராவெல்லாம் கண்முழிச்சு
வள்ளி திருமணம்
பார்த்ததில்ல..


மல்லாந்து மேகம் பாத்து
வயலை
வீடாக்கியதில்ல...

குளத்தங்கரையோரம்
குளிக்கும் பறவைகளை
குத்தவெச்சு ரசிச்சதில்ல..

நிலவைத்தட்டாக்கி
நட்சத்திரச்சோறுன்னு
கடலில் கை கழுவி
மேகத்தில் தொடச்சதில்ல...



இருளொழுகும் வேளயில
ஒத்தயடிப்பாதயில
“பேய் வருமோ? முனி வருமோ?”
திசைதொலச்சு நடந்ததில்ல...

கனவு கலைக்கும் நடு நிசியில்
கக்கத்தில் காதலி கண்டு
கண்ணும் கலங்கவில்ல...

ஆனாலும் சொல்கிறோம்
“I am living my life!!” என்று...

Thursday, June 11, 2009

???!!!


தூங்கும் குழந்தையின் கையில் இருந்து நழுவி விழும் பொம்மை போல் அமைதியாய் நகர்கிறது வாழ்க்கை... நான் நழுவி விழும் பொம்மையா? நழுவ விடும் குழந்தையா?