That year's 'Margazhi' too was as usual, a pot-pourri of 'raga & tala' and visits to Shrines!
I started looking forward to it ..and would you believe, I was the first one to step out of the exam-hall during the last exam..such was my anxiety to start off with my 'Michaelmas holidays!!'
It is a tradition in our family to go on a pilgrimage during the 'Margazhi' season : in fact, it also did serve as a family get-together of all our cousins, who normally were away from the South. This was a desire of my grandpa, as well.
He also used this opportunity to play with all of us, which normally is not possible, as he was such a 'busybody'. I still remember how we all the tiny-tots would love crushing the betelnuts for 'our thaatha's 'tamboolam'.
My granny's round of story-sessions,exclusively hosted for us,was yet another 'scene-stealer'.Along with her steaming degree coffee, we would help ourselves to her "AMBULICHUTTI" stories. (Perhaps in a subsequent blog I shall narrate one of her favourite stories).
Around 8.00 a.m. ,we would all head towards the temple-tank to take a dip. I bet no other 'waters' in the world ..even the swimming-pool of great 5-star hotels, would be as serene and pure as the temple-tank's'!!!! One could cherish the tingly feeling of the small fish,nibbling at our feet.
With the strands of our wet tresses wafting in the gentle breeze, we would have a happy stroll all the way, pausing to see butterflies, mynas and even peacocks. There used to be a contest between my cousin, and myself, as to who spots the most number of butterflies...our grand-father being the 'contest's judge'! If she wins then I would be waiting to take revenge by beating her in the 'Dayakkatai' game, which we would play in the court-yard of the huge mansion.
The evenings were a different story altogether: all of us would go to the 'Adhivinayahar temple'..those "Saayaratchai -moments" would be a treat to the eyes, feasting on the 'beauty' of the Lord in His 'swayambu' pose with a human face!!
My grandpa, a well-known personality in the 'temple-circuit, loved taking us on a 'Devotional-Spree",that still continues to be a part of me.
With just five more days to go for the school to re-open, I started to wear a gloomy look already.The state of my cousin, even worse. She started to have one of those spells of 'school-going phobias', if there could be such a word-coinage!!
In the noon all were keenly glued on to the television, watching 'Rajinikanth rescuing the poor elephant-calf from a pit'.
"Oh! what a tragic fate for 'Rajni's mom"!! so saying,my granny was having tears in her eyes..
just when my mother was trying to explain to her that it was only a movie;-
-The maid-servant came in saying,
"Amma! amma!" namma papava enge thediyum kaanomma" ( mam, shanmu kiddo is missing )....
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