Wednesday, January 26, 2011

SRI PANDI VILAS



As I came out of the hall, I was trying to take in the things- moving and still all around me. Work tags, new goodies safe inside branded plastic bags, hand bags, coolers and tri-colour battered and pinned on shirts. For some reason these things did not enter into me. Something bigger was occupying my mind. A bigger question. Was I in it? The place around, the world around me?

When I saw the tri-colour on people- I wanted to have one too. My mind went back to the school grounds where I stood fourth from the first, singing flag songs and the National Anthem- waiting rather impatiently for the distribution of toffees. I used to get hold of the entire stack of tri-colour that was left over. The stack would find its place inside a big bag, along with other broken toys and tiny pieces of pencils and erasers where it would remain for the next few years until the entire bag would be chucked into the trash.

I wanted to ask one of them- from where they had got the tri-colour? I don’t know why I did not ask. I was just watching around and trying to take in the blur of colours around.

Be it the rain pouring down outside the window or a Baai’s daughter reciting Tennyson’s ‘Brook’. Munna insisting on his photos being taken in a studio or Arun washing the silver ring left behind by a house wife- Yasmin. From Shai’s photographs, Munna’s ‘Salman’ bracelet to Arun’s painting and Yasmin dissolving into light in her video letter to her brother. The fifth character in the film, Mumbai- left me with a bigger question deep down in me. Was I the sixth character in it?

The auto ride back home was all thoughts. A sun-lit Chennai had become a part of my life for the past two years. Its different shades never escaped my thoughts throughout. Yet, I’m a stranger trying to identify places around. The city was a part of me- but never became mine.

As the auto tuned in with the rocky roads beneath- my eyes were searching for tri-colour s around. School children and a teacher leading them around. A man making ‘parotta’s outside Sri Pandi Vilas hotel. An old man whose knees came in together while he bent back- waiting for his bus.

I did not get my tri-colour today.

Oh… and ‘Dhobi Ghat’? Of course… Please watch it…

31 comments:

Kalyan said...

nice one

Rià said...

Nice post...so u liked Dhobi Ghat??

Chitra said...

Good one.... :-)

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

A mix of a movie review and a feeling of a distant and ancient past. Nice read.

And a positive movie review, after a few negative ones.
:)

Cheers,
Blasphemous Aesthete

Pinpaks said...

hello there! for some weird reason I could not find your blog the other day.. I am glad I am here now.

toffees and the tricolor are probably our first memories associated with the republic and independence days. that and boring speeches. haahaa..

True. We are part of the cities we live in.. but the city is more so a part of us. I'll try to watch dhobi ghat for sure. :)

oh and I did not get my tricolor either. I satisfied my tricolor fix looking at the tv. :) would you imagine missing the toffees and the speeches.. sigh. I do.

Arv said...

:)

been a long wait to see Dhobi Ghat... thanks to lack of tickets or time... cant wait to see it :)

Anonymous said...

A very good write up!
Haven't seen the movie yet... on my list! :)

Bhargavi said...

ha ha! I loved Dhobi ghat too.. attention to small details made it such a lovely flick for me..You live in chennai too!

Valarmathi Pauldurai said...

hey good one buddy!!!

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Hey!

just dropped in to say hi :)

was in a hurry. so will read the post little later.

tc :)

RESTLESS

Asha said...

A nostalgic post! There is something about our childhood which keeps surfing in us time and again. Ain't it?

Heard good reviews about dhobi ghat. waiting to catch it.

Rek Sesh said...

I liked the way you ended it...my tri color dose is the twitter ribbon on my picture...nostalgia and review...nice post combo...the movie flew by while your mind wandered or was it the other way round?... :)

Onkar said...

Nice post. I shall try out Dhobi Ghaat soon.

RamNarayanS said...

Was that a post on Dhobi Ghat? :) From the way you've worded it, it looks so, and potentially cerebrally indulging. My chances of seeing it are almost nil unless it comes on cable. :-(

Tanvi said...

Now i am going to see Dhobi ghat... for sure.. :D :D Nice read :)

Cheers,

Matangi Mawley said...

@ kalyan...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ magceye...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ Ria...

i sure did... :)

Matangi Mawley said...

@ chitra...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ blasphemous...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ rohini...

thanks!
sure... :) i do miss the toffees too...

Matangi Mawley said...

@ arv...

:)

Matangi Mawley said...

@ faitaccompli...

thanks! :)

Matangi Mawley said...

@ bedazzled...

thanks! :) yep chennai...

Matangi Mawley said...

@ valar...

thanks! :)

Matangi Mawley said...

@ restless...

sure...

Matangi Mawley said...

@ asha...

true! :)

Matangi Mawley said...

@ rek...

the thoughts were a by-product of the movie...

Matangi Mawley said...

@ onkar...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ ramm...

:) but don't miss it on cable... do watch it...

Matangi Mawley said...

@ the girl in the red coat...

thanks!