Cough, Splutter, Choke....NOT yet another car related blog

It feels strange to sit in front of the computer and let my fingers find their way around the keyboard again. It has been a good two months of rest, relaxation, self-discovery, bonding with loved ones and of course, the ever present laziness. Long absences are disastrous for a blogger, I discover.....one must contend with familiar insecurities at a whole new level. It is debilitating, to say the least. So, I will stop here with hopes that....wait, since when have I had nothing to say?


Just returned from good old Chennai. Yes, I have finally made the change from referring to the city as Madras....I cannot fight the inevitability that Chennai is VERY different from Madras. There are flyovers galore (which incidentally haven't made a dent in the traffic), there are cars everywhere (mostly call taxis or unmarked cars for hire), apartment complexes vie with mega malls for vertical space, instead of political posters on the walls, there are beautiful paintings celebrating Tamil Nadu's rich heritage, Aadi maasam is relatively quiet with the "mike sets" restricted, the ubiquitous statues around town are all golden hued (though I am happy to report, still adorned with bird dropping), there is Metro Rail worming  its way through the city and adding to the general chaos, and did I mention the brouhaha surrounding the new assembly building? As a non-political observer, I am of the opinion that the above matter is akin to uncastrated domestic male cattle excreta, and that's that! However, it is comforting to note that Chennai remains true to its roots in one respect....blending the traditional with the modern seamlessly. Only here can we have madisaar mami's (who will think nothing of donning less traditional wear on a "foreign" trip) walking toe to toe with micro mini clad girls (who incidentally might oil their hair, wear paavadai and go to the temple on Fridays). In my humble opinion, no other city in India comes even close to Chennai in this respect. Oh, and the auto drivers are still great conversationalists with topics ranging from gas prices to nuclear warfare....all in colorful Madras Tamizh (If they start referring to it as Chennai Tamizh, I will humbly hang up my hat, I swear to you!)


Now, back in the good old US of A and grappling with familiar uncertainties...from letting go of the pottu because it clashes with my jeans, morose festival days because "pakkathaathu" Claire mami did not put "feet kolam" on Krishna Jayanthi day or because Deepawali is just another work day, suddenly preferring cloth rags to paper towels, to making moar kuzhambu/paruppu usili combination regularly. For a few more days, the American way of life (especially the excesses and the shallowness) will feel very strange and comical, until school starts and I am thrown into the fray head-along. A gradual acceptance will follow when I appreciate all the good that this wonderful country has to offer, this country that my children know as their home.