Kanna mama was one of the nicest persons I have ever known. I thought a lot about how I would present my memories of mama and decided to use the format of his favourite newspaper column in Bombay. There used to be a newspaper in Bombay called “Afternoon Dispatch and Courier”. Behram Contractor a.k.a busybee was its editor and had a very popular daily column called “Round and about” which was mama’s favourite column. I have attempted to capture the same style below for my thoughts. - Harish

And for a Saturday, a few memories, a few anecdotes and a few memorable moments (all my own work) Like the memories of mama from Ashok Nagar. He was probably the first person I had seen who wore a full hand safari suit. I used to wonder how he handled it in the Madras heat!

Like the time when he told appa, “Parthasarathy, the dart board is a really nice gift but next time please get something less destructive”. Those who have been to the Ashok nagar house will remember a door full of holes from darts that missed the board completely. Later I realized that even the ones on target made holes in the door. The dart board was something everyone loved to play and the poor door really suffered. Having said that, mama also could not resist himself and enjoyed the occasional dart throws.

Like the time I went from Baroda to Bombay for a vacation. Frooti was just introduced and was only available in Bombay and Delhi initially. Those living in other cities only saw the glitzy advertisement on TV and were left wondering when they would get this nectar of the gods. Imagine my delight when mama got frooti ! I was already picturing what I would be saying to my friends and classmates. Then I was made aware that there was a ritual after finishing the packet. You would blow air into the empty tetra pack and stomp it for a loud blast. Mama watched all of us do it and then being the fun loving person also took a stomp himself for his own pack !

Like the time mama arranged for a merchant ship visit when thatha and paati had visited Bombay. The captain of the ship being a very gracious host asked thatha “Sir will you have a beer ?” Thatha was absolutely shocked and somehow choked a no along with a strong wave of hands. We were all trying our best to control our laughter. Mama had a big laugh after coming home (far away from thatha of course) and often used to remember this incident later saying poor appa and have a chuckle.

Like the time Srinivasan chitiya who was thatha’s cousin visited the house in Ballard estate for the first time. Chiithi was apparently looking a little flustered and so mama asked her what the matter was. She said that she was really scared of the West Indies cricket people while they were walking from the bus stop to the house. Mama was puzzled and then realized that she was talking about the African students who used to loiter in some of the alleys of ballard estate. Bombay did have a drug problem at that time and some alleys were filled with these students. Mama used to say that the poor West Indian cricketers got a bad name because of chitthi !

Like the times when we would watch a lot of movies. Mama was an avid movie watcher and enjoyed movies in all languages. We would get video cassettes of the latest tamil movies whenever they visited us or we visited them which used to be at least a monthly ritual. He was a member of Alliance Francaise and used to watch a lot of movies that were screened there. He used to take me along whenever I was in Ballard Estate.

Like how we went to see “gone with the wind” when a digital remaster was released in theatres. After the movie mama said that he did not enjoy it as much as he did when he watched it in his younger days and that the movie was just too long for his liking ! The movie was actually four and half hours long including the interval, advertisements and the customary films division films that used to be played in theatres back then.

Like the time when he told me that the song ponmalai pozhudu from the movie nizhalgal which was considered one of illayraja’s biggest hits was copied from 14th century german folk music. He apparently got a pass to a german music concert and the 3rd or 4th composition that was played was the tune of ponmalai pozhudu. He was really shocked and after the concert went and met the conductor and asked him about the origin of the composition. He was told that all the compositions were 14th century german folk music. I remember him still giving credit to Ilayaraja saying that but for him this folk tune would have never become so famous.

Like the time when he told me how he watched the famous Richard Gere/Julia Roberts movie 'Pretty woman' rather fortuitously. Pretty woman was one of the biggest hits at that time and was running continuously in the Eros theatre in Bombay for 26 weeks. Mama’s boss came from Delhi and they along with another senior person from the Bombay office had gone out for lunch. The boss told them after the lunch that he had heard a lot about the movie and “suggested” that they go and see the 3 PM show in Eros. Mama was a little reluctant but agreed and later told me that he was glad he went because he really enjoyed the movie.

Like how he was not only an avid reader but also quite a writer. He had written a number of articles for different Tamil magazines usually with subjects based on Bombay including quite a few interviews. He told me that writing gave him joy and through these articles he felt that he stayed in touch with Tamilnadu.

Like the time we had an errant TV. We had a TV set which had a mind of its own and would suddenly decide to stop showing the picture. Through trial and error (don’t ask how) we figured out that restoring the picture required a hard bang simultaneously on both sides of the TV set. So, while watching TV this would be at least a once in 2 hours ritual. For some reason mama really enjoyed this activity and when the picture went blink he would be the first one to rush and bang the TV to restore the picture!

Like the time a colleague of his put him in a uncomfortable position during a conversation with Shabana Azmi. There was some postal celebration for which many celebrities were invited including Shabana Azmi. Mama’s colleague wanted to somehow talk to Shabana Azmi and being afraid to go alone dragged mama along. He apparently requested Shabana Azmi to make a film on philately and when she looked puzzled told her that mama would explain! Mama was totally embarrassed but somehow managed to explain to her what philately was and how people had stamp collections that spanned centuries in some cases. He later told me that it was rather unnecessary for his colleague to put him in a spot like that.

Like the time he bought a fancy vegetable cutter. The street vendors in Bombay had innovative and attractive ways of selling items. One such item was a vegetable cutter which was quite similar in operation to a Buddhist hand rotating prayer wheel. You stuck the vegetable on top and then rotated the device to get neat slices. The way the seller demonstrated it looked really easy. Mama was very impressed and bought it. After coming home he attempted to demonstrate it to mami and alas it did not work anywhere close to how it worked for the seller. Mami told him that she does not need such fancy devices and knives and aruvamanai would suffice for cutting purposes !

Like how he learnt to drive a car in his 50s in Delhi. Yes, he actually had a fiat car in Delhi and learning to drive at that age shows his enthusiasm. Although I never got a chance to ride in that car, appa did.

Mama you may be gone but you will always remain in our hearts and so will the many wonderful memories.

HARISH
29th May 2021