Independence

The North Indians never respect us, we said. They call us Kaali, ugly, Madrasis. They scream that our Autowallahs refuse to speak in Hindi without realising that Autowallah had found their own sophisticated cosmopolitan language(Naastha Thuniya). What is common anyway between the Chapathi eaters and us, We asked.

We were never ruled by the same rulers.

So with pride of Cheran, Chozhan and Pandian, we decided to seek Independence, so Tamil nadu was spun off.

Then Coimbatore and erode people complained. The Chennai people think highly of themselves. They think A R Rahman is god(!). When we get lost in the city, they give us wrong directions. They mock our slow and steady Tamil when they don't even speak Tamil.

They have all the software companies, Thirupur said. Chennai looks at us condescendingly for being scared to walk through Ranganathan street, the vecchurava veeran from Madurai said.

So Chennai was spun off.

Annanagar screamed we are way too cosmopolitan to be part of this old city. Mylapore Maamis look down on our lack of distinct culture. TNagar mocks at our new money while resting on their Old Money. So Annanagar was spun off.

And I, who was born in west mambalam and who has spent several summers in Royapettah, lived the rest of my life with the partition woes stacked away in the corner of my mind.

Intensity

Yet.. Yet.. a lifetime of love in four months. His tall, lanky almost gawky body not withstanding, the loose checkered shirt that hungover his body almost like a shirt on a hanger not withstanding, they had cuddled. They fought a silent battle - words were used. Finger nails dug deep inside without making a whimper of a mark. They had fought, he over her insecurities, she over her his lack of care. It was a match gone wrong from the letter A - he said. She stood there - the love saga that she never knew the beginning of, never knew the ending of, that would continue through her life. There would'nt be any pain, any jubliation there and he wouldn't be there either. Yet she knew it would exist a lifetime.