Let me start from where I left two years ago.I had written about our life at Kanchipuram.In the year 1962, appa got his promotion and was transferred outside Tamilnadu. Amma had no other option than to settle in Madras, where her eldest son and second daughter had an establishment. Since a house was there, it was the right decision.I don't remember now by which mode of transport we came to Madras, but I was very excited about it. In fact, my friends looked at me enviously when they came to know about our going to Madras.

I cannot forget the day we landed at Madras as that was the very day that Hema was lost! As young children we were all very excited to see so many of relatives here. Our house was just on the main road (Mandaveli street) opposite Vedachala gardens where our relatives lived in 15 and 25. Hema, instead of turning right went in the left direction and landed up in Norton Street which is on the back side. (Note the importance of right turns in our lives). Since she couldn't locate the house, she started crying. There was one coffee grinding shop (Shanmuga coffee works), whose owner,a kind-hearted person,asked Hema about her name, her father's name etc. Being new to the place,she couldn't say anything other than Kanchipuram. She was in that shop for more than an hour.Then she was taken to the house of Mr.Kannan,an eminent politician of Mandaveli. His wife, a typical Iyengar mami,asked Hema many questions and then asked her to have some idlis. But this girl refused everything and kept on crying.Then they sent her in their peon's cycle around the area so that somebody can recognise her. Meanwhile, in the house nobody noticed the absence of Hema as all were under the impression that she must be playing in Vedachala gardens.Only when Raghu and I came back,did they notice that Hema was missing. We all got panicky, and started running in search of her. After sometime we saw a total stranger in whose cycle Hema was sitting and started scolding him. He told us to come to their boss's house and then take Hema. We went to their house and explained what happened and brought her. We thanked all (including the peon and the coffee shop owner). For a long time after the incident, the coffee-fellow used to call me 'Kanchipurathukari'. (Editor's note: When this article is reproduced in July 2021 issue, Hema has become 'Kanchipurathukari'. from 2016).

If that was not enough, the second day didn't also start well for me.I was told that I will be admitted in the Lady Sivaswami school, which was a well-known school in the Mylapore-Mandaveli area. On the D-day,after an early lunch, anna (my eldest brother) and I were walking on the Mandaveli street, and after 10 minutes, reached St.Antony's Girls'High School. Anna stopped there and asked me to go with him. We met the Headmistress and after 10 minutes I got the admission in class VIII and was asked to go to the class straightaway.I was shocked and very much disappointed as I thought I would enjoy at least a week's time before joining the well-known Lady Sivaswami School. Both the hopes didn't materialise. But the school turned out to be good and I acquired new friends. There was such stiff competition that 2 people got 1st rank, 2 second rank and 3 got third rank (I was one of them).I enjoyed my 4 years there very much. In this school, they used to give merit-cards in the assembly during the first week. We used to feel very proud to receive those cards. We went to Vedanthangal,Mahabalipuram,St.Thomas Mount and Thirukazhukundram on excursions during our school days. I was forced by my teachers to take part is Thirukkural reciting competition for which we were taken to a school near Mundakkaniamman koil in which a no.of students from various schools participated. I got a consolation prize. In our school itself I had taken part in some debates in Tamil (anna once wrote about Kamban and it was appreciatedy my teachers) and a few group dances. I had a lot of stage-fear (even now I have) and so whenever I go to the stage my legs used to tremble so much that with great difficulty I did my part,whether acting or giving speech. I had danced with actress Vijayashri (as Lord Krishna) and a few others (we were gopikas).She was 4 years junior to me. Then her name used to be Snehalatha. She was a very innocent but well-built, very good-looking fair girl.She was forced to join films by her parents and after being in the Tamil and Malayalam field for 4 years she committed suicide. I felt very sorry for her.

I cannot forget the Chandra Radio Siruvar Sangam (Chandra Radio Children's Group) in which I became a member.They used to take us to the All India Radio Station near Santhome. We used to enjoy going into the A.C.hall which was new to us. Mr.Koothapiran,who was affectionately called Radio Anna, used to conduct a programme called Papa Malar, a programme for children at 2-30 P.M on Sundays. We used to sing as a group or just sit there as spectators to clap after every programme! We were given chocolates and sometimes snacks also!

Now every nice thing comes to an end and so did my school-life. But my college life in Queen mary's College was also very enjoyable. None of my classmates in the Pre-University class was from my school. But most of them were very friendly and two of them became very close to me. After the results one of them,Shantha opted for Maths. When we parted for the vacation, she gave me her address and extracted a promise from me that I'd write a letter. I wrote a detailed letter and on the envelope wrote her address as 'Shantha amma'. A few days later, the postman came to our house and asked 'who is Amritha paatti (grandmother)?' She had written inside, 'If I'm amma, you are paatti'. Incidently,she was the mother of cricketer Murali Karthik. I heard from our common friend that she died of cancer 5 years ago. I cannot forget her smiling face and her short curly thick plait which she used to put in the front.In B.sc, 6 of us were very close and we were known to even our lecturers as the gang of six. Out of them, Manimekalai who was also a jovial person joined the same college as lecturer. Unfortunately she too died of cancer ten years ago leaving a small baby. Kalyani is the only one still in touch with me. I attended her son's wedding reception at Bombay. She recently became the grandmother of 3 girls,twins from her daughter-in-law and one from her daughter. I went to her place for the naming ceremony of her daughter's daughter.

Though the beach was just opposite our college,we hardly went there. But after marriage,we made it a point to visit the beach every time we visited Madras. My father-in-law was very fond of going to the beach and I think he had visited it a few days before his death at the age of 89. But nowadays, we cannot think of the beach without thinking of Tsunami. In fact when Aarthi was here in December, my husband asked her a few days after tsunami whether she'd like to go to the beach. She replied that neither she wanted to go to the beach nor did she want the beach to come to her.

After graduation,though I got first class,I couldn't get M.sc(Physics) as only 2 colleges in Madras had the post graduation course. I did not really mind it, as during that time, Ramesh was born (1970,Sept). Choodakka also started living in Vedachala gardens and she used to leave Ramesh at our place and I had the job of looking after him. I enjoyed every minute of it! He was plump and cute and with the white Shingar bindi,he attracted all our neighbours. The principal of an Arts college used to stay opposite our house and all the people in their house adored Ramesh.I took tuition at the Stella Maris college for 15 students who were very poor in Physics (after college hours),for 3 months.I worked as demonstrator in place of a lady who went on maternity-leave in the same college for 3 months.So somehow the time passed.Meanwhile,I was applying for the leading banks and attended the interviews also.I suddenly got the job as demonstrator in S.I.E.T college through my friend. So,I was busy for the next one and half years. When I got the job at the Accountant General's office as UDC, my parents and others asked me to take up this job as it was a Central Government job,though the salary was 100 rupees less.By that time my marriage was also fixed, and so I joined the Government job! But,there was no use as after four months, when I got married, I had to resign as my husband was posted in Solapur where there was no A.G's office.

The way we siblings used to play and at times fight are all very green in my memory. In the early mornings and in the nights, the kitchen used to be our study as there was only one bed-room and some people slept in the hall also. Amma used to make hot Horlicks without milk in the early mornings as there was no fridge in those days. She used to tell us to go to bed whenever she found us sleeping with the book in hand or sometimes over the book! During the annual vacation I played 'Trade' with my friends, carrom with my brothers and sisters. We used to wait for Rukkakka's return from office on the 1st of every month as she brought the best Badam halwa from her office canteen. We enjoyed buying the kulfi in the nights (they are the best kulfi I have ever had) and Rita icecream (Kuchchi). Raghu's mischiefs are also fresh in my memory. Talking of ice-cream, I remember how Raghu, who was in class 7 made fun of the ice-cream vendor. That vendor had a rough voice and the way he said ice-cream was very funny .Instead of saying icecream, he said 'icequon?' As soon as that fellow called 'icequon',Raghu from inside the house,hiding under the window used to shout 'Kyon'?(why).When the fellow went near the next window,Raghu ran to that window and repeated the same. That fellow got suspicious and he went 2,3 times in front of our house and suddenly got hold of Raghu and told him, என்ன ஐயரே, சும்மா இருக்க முடியலையா" (enna Iyeray,summa irukka mudialaiya? - what, my dear brahmin, can't you be quiet?)".We all had a hearty laugh!

Prasad is not the only person with nostalgia. Though it is over 30 years, I still think Mylapore-Mandaveli area is my favourite place where I used to go to the temples- to Durgai temple on Tuesdays,Kapali temple whenever I felt like and to the Srinivasa temple on Fridays and festival days and throughout Margazhi month.I loved to buy the fresh vegetables from the tank-market (Amma used to tell me that I picked the best vazhaithandu (banana stem)!).I used to go once a while to the Luz Hanuman temple and do the shopping around that area.I have seen a lot of movies in Kapali and Kamadhenu,the theatres in that area.I cannot forget the Vedachala gardens house,where I spent nearly 6 years. In spite of the weather,water problem and other minor problems, Chennai is the best place as far as I am concerned!

Amritha
February 2005