Revered Rhapsodies

The juxtaposition of these two terms is deeply evocative to me. While one is an aquatic animal that is also served as a dish, the other is a person. And the unique connection between the two has a story to tell and takes me back to the land where they belong. Scenario 1:  Well, this was about 25 years ago. I am on an airplane flying back to my native (Kerala, India) after spending my summer vacation with my family who lived abroad at the time. It was a usual journey until monsoon rains cast their watery spell across our route and we were forced to take an unexpected detour to the island of Sri Lanka. I found myself in an unfamiliar land in a very unplanned situation. The pilot informed us that we would have to spend the night in Colombo. I don't recollect what I would have felt as a 12-year-old in a strange land without her family beside her. But, the upside was I was travelling with one of our family friends and they took good care of me. We were accommodated in a hotel and if my ...

Train Journeys were an integral part of my college life. Those night trains from Thiruvananthapuram Central, especially the Malabar express and Mangalore express were like my second home. Chasing a running train with a heavy bundle on my back, finding a berth in a dark ladies compartment even before the lights came in, kind-hearted porters offering help, creeps lurking in the shadows, and hot cups of late-night chai at Shoranur Junction — my journeys have often felt like scenes lifted straight from a film. I wouldn’t dare to indulge in any such adventures now for the fear of a broken leg or a sprained back. For those wondering why I didn't secure a ticket in advance, let me explain that college strikes often occurred without warning and did not come announced. There were strikes of all sorts, shutdowns due to chickenpox and some unexpected holidays. I don't know if such a thing as a water strike still exists in our college anymore. In those days there was so much scarcity of wa...

Well, I don't know if there is such a thing as a new bride. I see it as the highest level of attention garnered on a single day that is valid for a single day. As for the bride, is she the quintessential Indian bride.? Apart from the red lehenga, nothing really seems to fit the description. Her unruffled demeanor is sometimes very intimidating. There are no hints of any thrills or excitement.            Our new bride arrived in Chennai central on the morning train and had her breakfast from Saravana Bhavan and went on to taste the most tantalizing sambar and that indeed was a good start. The next time she visited home, she blurted out ‘I think we are not making Sambar here, it's something else’ which gathered some unusual stares. Much to her delectation, a variety of cuisines were available in Chennai. Pinka dijaj in Zaitoon, sizzlers from Kobe sizzlers, Dindigul thalappakatti biriyani were some of her favourites. Chennai is a magical ci...

A dear friend told me to write about my quarantine experience. For me, the trip was more eventful than the aftermath of the trip- A 14-day quarantine. So here I go. I never thought the announcement ‘Welcome back to India’ would let warm tears pour down my cheek. There are some instances in life where you cannot hide your emotions. They barge out without any warning. I was in such a situation when I landed in Kerala, India after a year away from home. A year seems normal. But life threw a curveball at all of us in the form of Covid-19. And it was almost seven months that we were confined to our flat. The constant uncertainty- of jobs, health, education to name a few, was dreadful. I have never stayed away from my family for this long, especially in such a vulnerable situation. Missing my brother’s wedding was a bolt from the blue. I have imagined many difficult situations that might come about in life. But never in a million years did I expect this. Gloom cloaked over me like a monster,...