Chennai…. The MAC [Mad And Crazy] city ???

When I planned my return from Singapore to Chennai, I was a bit nervousimagining the changes Chennai would have undergone in the past 1 and ½years. I thought, I wont remember the routes and I would have to asksomeone for each and everything. Luckily [?] there is not much changes inChennai.

Yup… The roads have improved, traffic has increased, laneindiscipline has multiplied, number of people and number of vehicles has become more, water problem has decreased, price has raised. But still,Chennai is Chennai with its ever active people, busy roads, King of Chennai– autowallas, crowded buses with people hanging from it, roads underconstruction, drier platform with dust carried by winds, road-side romeos’,main roads with dogs, cows, buffaloes and donkeys as passengers, etc, etc.I am not saying that these are the goodness of chennai, don’t mistake me. I hope there comes a day when Chennai is rid of all these, but still somehow the presence of all these doesn’t make much difference here in Chennai and India.

I was waiting for my return to my homeland. I don’t know whether its onlywith me or with everyone.. a foreign country can never take the place ofyour motherland. Its not that I missed India or Chennai or vellore, itsjust that Singapore is not India and never will be. Not because of itsrestrictions, not ‘cos of its busy people, not cos of tall buildings, notcos of its restricted life… but there surely is something in India which makes your heart sing.

Now, I have to travel for 1 and ½ hours everyday from Annanagar to my officein Karapakkam. But on the way, I get to see lovely things like Koluththum sunlaiyum… vaadamal mallipu vachchi pogum TN ladies, ethai paththiyumkavalai adamal lovely chirping birds and crowing crows, platform kadaigal,busy traffickilum sirikkum makkal, lively school children.

The prices in India have risen like hell. My first experience in chennai with an autowallah made me realise not to underestimate our king of roads.You need to have enough money in your purse to carry you on for a day. Myfirst day in chennai, I withdrew Rs.800 and spend the entire lot the sameday [Ok, I went in auto.. that explains that].

Ippo.. to the five elements:
Water …This year there is no water scarcity [touch wood] thanks to Varuna Bhagvan. One major problem in Chennai is temporarily fixed (by nature).Praying for it to be fixed permanently.
Food… that’s the best part of Chennai. You get delicious cuisine allthrough the day. From the time I landed, I have been hogging like anything.
Air… the same poluted air. But, now many houses have air-con. So its cool.Better carry an umbrella when you come out and don’t forget your sunscrren.But the best part is, here though its hot, its breezy. Somehow inSingapore, getting a breeze was a luxury.
Land… you name it, you have it. Now, the land cost have gone peaks especially in the IT corridor, thanks to the IT firms.
Fire… Burning Sun? Now, its not so hot. It rained. So, its ok. I couldnot feel much heat. Hope it remains the same for some more days.

Ippadi, chennai/India paththi sollitae polam. Athu ennamo theriyala ingaeoru thani santhosham irukku. Oru siru punnakai eppavum namma kuda irukaramaathri oru feeling.Yesterday, me and my friends were discussing about life turning [or alreadyturned] mechanical in Indian cities especially for us, the softwareengineers. This is a bit scary. Hope we don’t change the basic santhoshamthat prevails in our country cos of westernisation or blooming economy.

Lets keep the spirits of India high!!

Merae Bharath maham…. Jai hind!!!