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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

memoirs from a distant land-part two

there is technically nothing distant as"distance" where my native land is concerned...but somehow when i reach here....the memories associated with this place and the echoes of bygone times makes me feel i am nothing but a short time visitor to another time...this weird feeling is the basis of the tug and pull of warring emotions inside me...wanting to be here...but still craving for the security of my life in Mumbai.

now,that the title of my blog is clear..i will pick up my random comments again..

i have always felt that a city's elves and fairies come out and sprinkle stardust all over their city only at night..when the bustle of the morning and the dust of the afternoon give way to twilight..that elusive time..which induces so much longing and nostalgia in you....tempting you with glimpses of paths untraveled and dreams not followed......these magic guys....twirl around and wrap the city in their magic warp ......

i say this because of two incidents...
let me tell you that my native town..is a town nestled in backwaters..... a town with a rich culture and long royal history....the capital of one the erstwhile royalties of Kerala...a place which still stands in the shadows of its history....
my town was honoured with a "mall" just recently....and we went on a family outing there one evening...i
went with an open mind..but let me tell you..i had my fair share of doubts about a"mall" in my town...
imagine my surprise....when i encountered customer paging systems in their food courts..and automatic taps,all possible brand names.....
that night...while going back home.....winding through the small lanes...with the car radio playing ghazals.....i was aware of that keen emotion..of being in the no man's land of pride over my town's development and a sense of loss of innocence....and the silken night sky above...echoed my sense nostalgia...

the second incident was not of nostalgia...but a feeling of supreme well being......the night before
"Thrissur Pooram"
 for my fellow bloggers who do not know  about this  festival.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrissur_Pooram

one night before the "Pooram" we walked "the walk"......taking in the festivities.....the shops...the people..the elephants..the lights...it was as if the town was bedecked like a bride...awaiting the day of her wedding....
walking through the magic of "pooram eve"....i was filled with such a sense of well being ...as if someone was truly watching over me and would never let anything go wrong with my life....
i was sure,,that if i looked for it...i could really see my magic people....twirling and vanishing in the crowd of people......
all said and done.....my journey continues,,in this land.....and i will be back with more.....
till then......
goodbye..


ice-nightmagic-ness.

3 comments:

Blunt Edges said...

Isn't it funny how we want the city we live in to be all modern and chic, but we want the place which we visit once in a while to retain all of it's old-world charm and innocence. Wonder what it makes us :)

My earliest memories of Thrissur Pooram involve Dad watching it on TV and me and my bro pestering him to change the channel ;)

Anu Ghanashyam said...

superliked it.... enjoy.. we are meeting soon :P

Anonymous said...

Well our entire country is very much rich in its different culture and traditions.....we r really luky...any way applos for ur writing mam........luved it... :)