The RJ continued, "'Where is the party?' madhiri 'Where is the Vinayaga chathurthi?' nu kondadeerupeenga nu nenaikaren.." ( Translated-jist:"I guess you must have made a party out of Vinayaka Chathurthi - a festival for a specific God in India"). Not much of an epiphany, but this was the tipping point and I just had to vent out all the accumulated frustration on the fake-fun everyone is supposed to be having out here in Chennai.I see remarkably edited Youtube videos telling me Chennai is 'Happy'. I hear radio-jockeys yapping away as if this is the most happening city there is. Facebook postings of music-videos in the name of Madras. Newspaper adverts ballyhooing the 'celebration' of what's "#Chancey-illa" (Trans-jist: Nowhere else but here) about Chennai. Well, here's a fact my select-few, overly-excited fellow city dwellers; some of us read beyond the first page of the newspaper. And by saying "I've had the most fun ever in Chennai!", I quote no-one, myself included.
Chennai is home to the most bovine of all of humankind. No matter how many daylight injustices happen; no matter how many rights are violated; how un-livable conditions get; how much verbal abuse is dished out, day in and day out life just goes on. We are a society that has lost the sense of the word 'fun'. I recall a conversation I had with a friend and her boyfriend once back in Jersey. They had signed up for a dance class and were asking me to join them. He said, "You can learn how to dance at weddings, it'll be fun!". By reflex I let slip the fact that we don't dance at our weddings around here in South India. The both of them refused to believe me and concluded that I was bluffing to avoid going with them. We Chennai-ites know too well what would happen if we were to dance at an authentic Madrasi wedding. For one, you'd be branded a lunatic and shunned by every respectable member of your family for eternity. A proper wedding down here is a quick marriage ceremony followed by gift-giving and ending in a sumptuous feast. Period."But tamil movies have people dancing around all the time", you may argue. Let me put it this way, we generally associate dancing to movie-heroes and, more recently, reality-TV game shows; but not to anything in the 'real world'. To be a little dramatic, I haven't even once seen the most celebrated 'Saavu koothu' (Trans-jist: A dance supposedly performed by drunkards in front of a corpse while on its way to the crematorium) all these years of my life in Chennai.
Getting back to 'happy-fun-exciting' things, let's not kid ourselves people. Just a silent walk through the heart of the city at rush-hour can give you a whiff of the true picture. You will not spot so far as a tiny smirk on those busy faces. Chennai is hard-working. It's back is bent. Burden is writ large across its wrinkled forehead. A burden that it carries steadily ahead in the face of irresponsible administration not too unheard-of in India. Our average fun-thirsty youth neither has venues (except the movies) nor the social approval to go out and experience something in the equivalent sense of the word 'party'.
P.S: To all those folks doling out 'fun-fun' BS on a daily basis, PLEASE keep it real.
Getting back to 'happy-fun-exciting' things, let's not kid ourselves people. Just a silent walk through the heart of the city at rush-hour can give you a whiff of the true picture. You will not spot so far as a tiny smirk on those busy faces. Chennai is hard-working. It's back is bent. Burden is writ large across its wrinkled forehead. A burden that it carries steadily ahead in the face of irresponsible administration not too unheard-of in India. Our average fun-thirsty youth neither has venues (except the movies) nor the social approval to go out and experience something in the equivalent sense of the word 'party'.
P.S: To all those folks doling out 'fun-fun' BS on a daily basis, PLEASE keep it real.
I have a new friend named fun-fun. He is one of the graduates from Osaka Global School that participated in our YES!Plus couse last year. His real name is Zhuxiang. He decided to come of U.S. and study art at DeAnza College! What does he consider fun? Designing cars... guess who he reminds me of Prashanth!
ReplyDeleteToday has been a "fun" day. If fun equates to awareness. It started with the tree in my neighbors house falling in my backyard exploding 2 transformers and droppimg 10+ wires into my back yard cutting my persimmon tree in half and breaking the galvanized steel water faucet pouring our precious water out. The explosion was so loud I thought, Hmm may be it's war and that is a bomb. If yes, why are they starting the war at my house! LOL I myself had to laugh at that. Although in the moment I myself had no idea whether that was true! :) Then using candles and flashlights creating a pathway for mom to the bathroom. She kept complaining that the candles made it impossible for her to sleep. I wonder how many times in our lives we complain about the very thing that sustains us! :) I check my text to find Mom's minister 97 yo has a stroke and her son asks us to pray for her well being. I check my work email to find my software engineer Josh's dad had a stroke last night too and is in the hospital. My cousin, Frankie's wife Kitty, had a stroke last week. A remarkable thing happened. Her Parkinsons jerky motions of hands, head, whole body disappeared. A blessing in disguise? Tonite a friends job was moved to Singapore and she no longer has hope. On a day like today you realize the world will throw at you tears, hopelessness, illness, obstacles, doubt and all you can do is show love and care. The joy is not outside. It's the core of who you are. It's what makes you throw back your shoulders and stand tall. i love you dear Prashanth! Despite the 2 h's in your dear name! :) As the electricity comes back on... just having a candle in the dark is full of joy! I remember that from last nite. And jumped for glee at the thought of electricity again tonight. Why not be grateful. Through awareness you have no choice but to experience this side of life. :)