The Middle Ground

I found this as I was leafing through an old diary. At that time I was a paying guest for a Tamilian family, in Murichur Road, Tambaram. Deeksha was the land-lady's 7-yr-old daughter. "I am constantly surprised, how the world expects, two people with two completely different brain orientations, to react in similar manner to a given stimuli.We set general standards like 'IQ' to test all people, when 'IQ' essentially is a measure of one's left-brain capacity. The reason I have so much fun teaching 7-yr old Deeku is because of the weird reactions that she gives while doing her homework.'Deeksha! M and not W. b, not d.',  I often find myself reprimanding. 'Enna Kodumai ithu!'she mutters, irritated. Our curriculum has very few arrangements for right-brained or dyslexic children. Multiplication tables, force, motion, machines, arduous hours of mugging up may not be Deeku's cup of tea but she excels in extra curricular activitie...

Its been 3 years now that I live in Chennai. The city stretches over a vast area and so where you live and where you work may be very far apart. A lot of people use the local train service to cover these long distances. Some of my most refreshing hours have been spent in a train carriage reflecting over thoughts and feelings while watching roads, cars, canals, building, the city flit by. A disgusting incident comes to mind. That day I was boarding a train from Nungambakkam. I heard the final whistle while booking the ticket.The next train would arrive a good 15-20 minutes later and I didn't want to wait for it on that hot, sultry afternoon. I hurtled down the steps and managed to climb into the vendor's cabin of the already-moving Tambaram bound train. A lot of people were standing as all the benches in the carriage had already been occupied. I caught a couple of breaths, relieved to have caught the train. Opposite to where I stood, a couple sat talking sweet nothings and...

When I am in and around Nungambakkam, The Alliance Francais(e) pulls me towards itself.There is always some play or a film festival or a book reading session going on there, not to mention, the delicious freshly baked home made chocolate cake available in their canteen. And so,one Saturday, I suddenly found myself inside their little Auditorium. The play being staged was called 'Madhavi'. The scene being acted was the one in which Madhavi pines for Kovallam(this is a famous Tamil epic), after he has left, never to return(I guess, he is dead). Madhavi spends her days and nights adorning herself with jewellery expecting Kovallam, to arrive in any instant.Selvi, her maid shares her angst. Kovallam never returns.Madhavi becomes insane. But,this particular reproduction of the famous epic, was different. The protagonists, though female characters were enacted by men. The most striking aspect though, were the costumes, the make-up and the props used. The men were wearing flimsy...