22nd March

Its been a year exactly after i joined with Aazraya in helping the needy.
March 22, 2009... The day i joined with them.
Sometimes, the long journey you start with will be boring, the fellow passengers may not know your language, the book you reading may bore u, the buildings and trees that passes your window will look monotonous.
How would you feel when an interesting (can be beautiful too!!!) passenger enters the train and sit in your adjacent seat?... Won't your journey be refreshed and get back the tempo!?
I felt the same from the date i mentioned above. My days were getting bored after couple of my close friends marriage... i was looking to refresh and i found Aazraya, The NGO to help the needy.
From then, most of my sundays ended with fun, friends, smile, kids in orphanage and lot more interesting happenings... Though i couldn't concentrate with them in later months of the year, i enjoyed their support.
The first day with Aazraya in Akshaya old age home, The days in new life trust, The day we had Mr. Sharath Babu for the inaugration of Kalvi Kan @ New life, The day i saw Dr. Abdul Kalam, the ex President of India, Dewali celebrations with orphanage kids, human chain at marina beach supporting UN Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen and the fun after human chain, the anniversary celebration and etc... Lot happened and memorable days...
Thanks to all the members and friends who made the year sweet and cherisable.
It is normal to get admired by something of the train friend. May be the particular character or anything like so...
Even am admired by a character(literally u can call it as character) from Aazraya and i decided to carry it with me all through my life. I feel it as treasure and best gift.
You know what!

and in my dream... again...

I had a dream, the dream full of dreams…

Those dreams packed with past and wrapped with future,

So soft as ur hand, so warm as your heart…

Colored like rainbow, that smelled like lavender!

I traveled back to my past, to reach the start...

It started from the end and I grew too young!

I slept until noon, catching up more toons...

My pen changed to bat... my mouse vanished to ball...

I had nothing to worry, also nothing to hurry!

I just had no aim and just played game...

No date for submission and had no mission!

No boss, no job, no target, no tax, no slavery...

I ran along the green field, i smelt the cricket field!

I climbed to the little mount, i saw the heavenly ground...

The warmth of the water in the pond,

Those quick snaps clicked by clouds and

the smell of rain before every fever!

The primary school crush and secondary school love :P

Though i lost, many supports never lost...

The hands held me then, to make me win!

No architecture and no plan, the future plan!

Now, everything behind me,,,

just memories with me,

I closed my eyes to deep sleep...

Again, those dreams flied out in my dreams...

until my alarm hit my sleep...

Am growing old!

Few lines those ran into my thoughts when i was heading back home from office in train…And i didn’t try this as a poem too…
just few lines…

Again, thanks Nisha for the picture.

Then and now ...

One fine day!
when Shah Jahan was in deep thought to build Taj Mahal for his Wife Mumtaz…

Strong, well build, good hearted Selvan entered the Gateway of Madurai, the capital city of Pandiyan dynasty with more hope of winning his first trade in his life.

Another fine day!
When Indians were busy voting for Taj mahal in internet to hold its position in World wonder…

Karthick reached Chennai Egmore railway station with great hope of winning his life. He got placed in well known software office at OMR in Chennai. His mannerism resembled the young hero in the latest hit flick of the city.

After a weak time! Selvan was doing good in his business and he wanted a break for a day to relax from his business. He went to a watch a stage drama, all about Ramayana which is very rare to see in his village. And there he fell in love with Seetha, who was named Malar out of the theatre… her real name. As like her name says, she can be compared to all beautiful, fresh, soft and pure flowers.

Karthick did well in his job. All because of his dedication and hard work he moved close with his higher authorities of the department. And he got chance to hit the party thrown by the client of his company where he met the girl Shakthi, the fair, beautiful, average height, smiley girl and he fall in love with her at first sight. He didn’t miss to see her dimple when she smiled, which added extra beauty to her.

Selvan became the regular visitor to the show. No matter how many times he watched the show, anyways who will feel bored to watch his love! … slowly, he got a place in Malar’s heart. she too fall in love with Selvan. He proposed her by the unknown words from his eyes and she readily accepted him. They shared many words from eyes, all the days, everyday! Everything was smooth and fine and all smiles…until…

Karthick found her details in office data… soon he became her bus friend, they started traveling together in the company bus when they worked in same shift. They both liked each other and Karthick was already in love with her. They became friends in mail, all social networks, of course… they shared their mobile numbers. They were busy chatting either in internet or in mobile. They knew each other well now… and then it happened!

Selvan and Malar met for the first time… but to depart. Selvan promised her with tears in his eyes, that he will settle soon in his business and marry her in next winter, almost a year later. Malar, with hope and sad heart send him to his village and promised him to wait till he returns… days rolled on.. on and on… she waited all day in her door step and Selvan worked to achieve his aim… yes! they both carried love in their heart.

Now, Karthick knew Shakthi well and more and his parent too. He don’t want to wait anymore, he wanted to propose her. One finest day! Karthick proposed Shakthi by texting to her mobile. Shakthi, as if waiting for long time for this to happen, with great joy and smile, she readily accepted him. She was also happy that her parents had already replied in her favor.

After achieving his aim, Selvan married Malar with the blessings of their parents, in the next winter as he promised. They lived like they are the happiest and loving couple on earth. Happily lived ever after!

Karthick and Shakthi married soon in an year time after Karthick became a team leader. They lived like they are the happiest and loving couple on earth. Happily lived ever after!

Thanks to technology
Now, love is easy to reach!

Thanks to Nisha for her pictures.

once upon a time

Somewhere around the late 1990s. The settlement located quite far from the town. Not far when u drive on your machines on the wheel. There were few houses in concrete and bricks, very few and not old too. Not close to each other either. They had two characters in common. one, every house had neem trees at the entrance, which gave enough shade and chillness and the second, they were calm and deserted. The place was hot, really hot during summer and all because of the sun, the permanent member in the settlement. Equally the rain showed it fondness towards the people. Not always, but it filled the ground whenever it showered. The soil was red, red soil and all the foots carried the red dust to home and sometimes the dress of the kids too strained with it.
There were not much population. How much population do you expect from the settlement of 7 or 8 houses?! very few... but there were enough open spaces... they can be called open grounds, thats how the kids call them... Ground! After every rain, they saw clear rainbow, till it touches the ground somewhere far. Sometimes the people can see the hill clearly when the early sun hits the hill. Won't you feel surprised to see a hill clearly, which is 30kms far from your doorstep? The ground will carry green grass and plants, unknown plants after every rain. They increased the aesthetic look of the surroundings. And they enjoyed the wind and breeze traveling through the open spaces into their home through small windows.
Earlier i told that the place was calm, but it was not always... Not every evening and weekends. There were enough kids in the settlement to make ground active. Not all are kids! few in their primary classes and few from the higher classes. Tall and dark, short and sweet, fair and sensitive, the active girl, the brilliant, fast, lazy etc etc. They had everything among them. They were a group of nearly ten, from different places and religions and lifestyle. But they had something in common... Nothing but Cricket. Cricket is the common religion of India and for them too. They were fans of Azarudhin, the captain then.., Sachin, all time blaster,.. Sourav, the young hitter and don't wonder... there were fans of Afridi, Michael beven, Brett lee, Warne, Lara and many more foreign players too.
They spent almost all the evenings and weekends in ground. The grounds of different sizes. The small, in which telephone post was the stump. Pretty okay kind of ground in which the stumps were the 3 black lines on the side wall of the house. And the large one, which is far bigger than the international stadium.
They made teams among them, they fought well for their victory. They had fight, revenge, victory, losses, anger, smile... everything that the kids of their ages have. They had the records of breaking the windows and cars too. And when they played opposing other team from neighbor areas, they were not the same and they were together to fight. They had enough movies to see, enough topics to talk, enough new games to try, enough exams to write...
they enjoyed their life as it was... without any target, without feeling for future... Their sounds heard everywhere with the sounds of birds, with the sounds of frogs in rain waters, with the sounds of wind that dashes on trees and window curtains...
When the days rolled on, year after year, the sounds reduced.
Kids are not kids anymore, the plants then are trees now. And the grounds are filled with buildings. concrete and bricks... and no place to play and no kids with bat.
And now, to see the far hill, i have to climb to my terrace but i see only the top of hill...
I miss those days. But can't get back to it. Some days in future, i may tell this as a story to my grand children... if they are free from their laptops!!!

I was chatting with my childhood friend Karthick (one from our gang i mentioned above). Our chat remained me the olden days.Here it is,,, some of those memories and many more inside me.

Dedicated to all my friends... Karthick, Raji, Ravi, Jeeva, Sathik, vikky, dhinu, my bros, puppy, kumar and bros and many more...

P.S. And sorry if i used too many "they were".