As I pack my bags to bid adieu to what has been my abode since I can remember, just thought I’ll pen down… rather type down my thoughts and feelings… after all wats a blog for..
I was on my cycle.. my “nyabagam varudhe “ journey… through customs colony.. to blue cross road… theosophical society.. beach and back… Besant Nagar.. one of the most enchanting places in chennai..most sought after… one of the few spots of green in the city’s map… it has everything.. from the bus depot to railway booking to .. the biggest aalamaram to.. a beautiful residential locality… to schools..and of course the Beach…
St.Johns school..My second home.. quite literally.. School life truly rocked… UKG to X.. and my staying right opposite to it lead to many funny incidents.. Whenever relatives used to visit us when we were kids.. obvious second question..afer “paer enna ma??” “Endha class la padikkare???” … I used take them outside..point to my classroom…”adho andha class” appave nakkal jaasthi :)
Most of my childhood was spent on the besant nagar streets.. playin..round the clock.. roaming around on the cycle… We were a huge gang then .... We had our own Chennai –90 gang wars then.. me on one side and my twin obviously the other and one such war which had escalated to beating, pinching,biting etc..led to us calling one of the passers- by to moderate.. “Uncle neengale sollunga.. avanga cheating daane!!!” We were in class I then.. 9 yrs later.. My hindi teacher in school told the entire class this incident and that that “uncle” was he.. Class was in splits…
And of course my “paatu class” .. something I’ve been “visiting” since my childhood.. A place where its music, fun and frolic go together.. Music maam stays close by as well.. Catch me loitering around lazily on the road.. and a voice from the top will say…” Dandam ma.. Vandhu rendu paatu paaditu po… indha St.Johns gang irke… Alchaatyam, ma… Manda ganam ma…” that’s my paatu miss for sure….
And of course the only people I flirt with… my “boy friends” .. the thatha s of the neighbourhood.. A “ good morning thatha “ is enough to bring a sweet smile… and they are no ordinary people.. even at this age play badminton with them.. and they give u a good run.. or they tell u that even they studied from the same ‘Milman Halkias’!!!! One thatha even remembers the topics and the yellow cover!!!
The Elliots beach.. or Bessie beach as it is widely known… it has seen me grow.. from the time I was a kid crying to put her foot in the water for the very first time….to now when I tearfully wish bangalore had a beach half as nice as this.. And I in turn have seen the beach evolve.. from a private, comparatively empty ,much cleaner place to a commercial ,crowded beach dirtied by the many shops that have come up on the sea front.. My beach…it was then.. It was a place where I saw the rich and the poor.. all religions.. a place for everyone to be just themselves.. Happy ocassion or sad.. spend it at the beach.. Stand in front of the waves.. relentlessly coming at you… enough to inspire you when the chips are down… It also made me realize how small ‘I’ am..
The Vinayaka temple ..I don’t visit it too often.. but when I do.. the pundit there will surely ask.. “enna ma exam a birthday a???” .. Spending the first moment of every new year..00:00 at the temple…a sentiment for Bessie people.. it jus gives me the positive vibration enough to take me through the rest of the year… besides that the many times I have listened to kutcherys or performed at the temple… unforgettable moments…
Every street ..every corner.. walking in the beach… cycling down blue cross road… running away from browny pup… getting scolings from school watchman…. Keeping “account” in grocery shop.. going to miss it all…
Just realized that I could walk up to the person and say.. “miss u ma” or “ miss u friend” but I needed a blog to say “Miss u Besant Nagar!!” where else do I say it!!! Swe the blogger is here to stay!!:)
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