கவிதையோ???

சமத்துவம்

*கூரையையும் காரையையும்
நனைத்து இணைத்து
சிரித்தது மழை.

தேர்தல் காலம்

*கருப்பு வெள்ளையில்
வாழ்விருக்க
வீட்டுச் சுவரில்
வண்ணச்சிதறல்.

A day which went straight into my heart!!!

This is gonna get veeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long!!! Trespass if only you have patience dear friends!!!

                “Sometimes I wish

      I could turn back time…

                  Impossible as it may seem…”goes a song.

Our longing for a rewind to UG life was quenched by our very own Kavitha mam. How can we turn down an opportunity as alluring as this one!!! Greedily, I grabbed the chance to be with my own clan though my project review was scheduled the following week. and wow!!! What a day it was!!!

The elephant at the entrance welcoming us!!!

Despite the lazy person I am, got up at 5:00 that morning. When I just set my foot on vallam bus stop (after a year I guess), I was welcomed by a very memorable sweet voice calling out, “Hey Suriyah… ”. It was one of my dear friends, Rukku. Both of us got keyed up and were almost jumping of joy as we did not expect each other there at that time.

The MBA block

We got on a bus to college and were in an animated conversation in spite of the bus being jam-packed. When we got down, it was the MBA block which attracted our attention first. We fondly remembered our “T&P in-charge” days during which we would be running to and fro between our department and the MBA block. Both of us were effervescent individuals (I was better I guess!!! Rukku, admit it!!!) getting into conflicts with our then T&P staff incharge. The next T&P staff incharge made me cry just for voicing out the collective view of the class!!! Hmmm. That was, of-course, a very bad day, which now evokes laughter!!!

The path doing the service of  joining our dept and the canteen :)

We marched to our department crossing the greeny, greeny path filled with an air of nostalgia. The “PERIYAR KNOWLEDGE CENTER” which houses CSE, MCA, M.Sc Software Engg, IT departments and the library had grown taller. Two floors added to its head if I am not mistaken!!! We sat in the entrance ruminating all the naughty things we did at that spot during the daily tea time. Mr.Karunakaran anna, our department peon, on seeing us, called me, “Hello… Paavaanar…” - the same way in which he used to call me during college days, (the name of the Tamil club I headed). As we were chatting with him, saw our dear mam and went to her. The smile which she gave on seeing us, wow!!! It spoke soooooo much… Not to mention the conversation with mam which made us too happy!!!

Canteen lawn

Our favorite spot, canteen had our footsteps on its floors then. Meanwhile, sathya joined us. Relished our usual combo of tea and vadais sponsored by Rukku, who is now a central government employee :P. Then, the “Awesome Twosome” of Coimbatore Anna University, Ilakkia and Bhagya, and Alaguselvi made their presence followed by Kanimozhi, Gayathri.R, Ashiffa, Suganya.M, Poornima and Sugantha. We all marched unanimously to the indoor stadium where the function was to be held. Our juniors welcomed us ably assisted by the sweet sugar candies, tender roses and pleasant sandal paste. We were thrilled and delighted to know that 40 out of the 63 girls have turned up. Great turn out, right???

Indoor stadium

I would like to appreciate the juniors who had taken so much pain to get ready the presentations which talked about the changes in the University after we had left. The campus has been WiFied and a hostel of international standards has been built for girls. The university is now a member of the “NATIONAL KNOWLEDGE NETWORK” with new computer labs. Good signs!!!

The main block

A good thing in our institution is that many functions and meetings take place in a formal + informal manner. And then started the “INSPIRATION TIME” with most of us going to the stage and giving a piece of our lives and thoughts to our juniors. I started first with my suggestion for the juniors to pursue a career in research and teaching. An MBA student at PSG, Kanimozhi almost threatened the young ones to open their mouths and respond, in her usual “Karate Black Belt” tone. Just kiddin Kani!!! Many of my classmates who work at prestigious concerns like CTS, Verizon etc shared their experiences. I appreciate these girls who have toiled it out to get jobs inspite of the recession which had turned our career orientations topsy-turvy.

A special mention has to be made about my classmate Ms. R. Gayathri, a budding entrepreneur. A website designing and development concern is going to be actualized next month by her hard work. She said, “I am going to use this concern as a means to get money to do what I have always wanted to do – social service”. Not many are bestowed with such a benevolent heart. Salutes to you dear!!!

Many juniors from my favorite class (now final CSE) came to us and were interacting with sooooo much love. I am really elated by the fact that many remember me. A place in their loving hearts for a puny creature!!! A girl said, “Akka, you remember? You were the first one to come to our class”. (Must have gone there to deliver a lengthy lecture I guess!!!) I was on cloud nine literally!!! The Tamizh club had built good rapport between me and my juniors.

We were given an awesome lunch. On knowing that so many alumni had turned up, the Honorable Vice Chancellor came to our department to meet us.  He was his usual self, confabulating spontaneously about what is going on around. He talked about this “National Knowledge Network” stuff and suddenly asked me, “Is your Anna University a part of this NKN?”. Such is his memory power, remembering what a student who had left the college one year before is doing.  

Kavitha mam was with us after he left. We had a conversation about various issues. Though the convocation had not been arranged in our “university” till now, we were happy to get our degree certificates on the day of our get-together.  I am now “M Suriyah B.E.,” officially!!!

View of main block from the canteen

I was in raptures to see Ilakkia have the wallet which I gave her when we vacated our college hostel. I too have the pencil which she gave me unsharpened even till now. Discovered how strong our relationship is, without our explicit realization. At last it was the canteen where our meeting ended over superb pani puris. I was unfortunate to miss the Tanjore temple visit that evening and “Endhiran” the next day due to my project work. Anyway it was a day that went straight into my heart!!! :D

பின்னோக்கி ஒருநாள்

Dear comrades of ChancyCSE... 
A great opportunity to rewind our lives.
Reviving the unity and togetherness of the four happiest years on October 9th!!
Expecting you all @ Periyar Maniammai University on that great day!!!

நாலு வருடங்கள்...

ஒன்றோடொன்று பின்னிப் பிணைந்திருந்த நம் வாழ்க்கைகள்

பொறுப்புகள் ஏதுமின்றி நம் எண்ணங்கள் 

பெயர்கள் தாங்கி அழகான மேஜைகள்

பல கைகளுக்கு இடமளித்த உணவுப் பொட்டலங்கள்

வகுப்பு நடக்க விழிகள் செய்த வெளிநடப்புகள்

பாடாத வாய் பாட, ஆடாத கால் ஆட, வெளியூர்ப் பயணங்கள்

தோழமையின் முழுப் பொருள் சொன்ன கண்ணீர்த்துளிகள்

வேற்றுமையில் ஒற்றுமை கண்ட உழைப்புகள்

மூன்று முறை விட்டுக்கொடுக்கா கோப்பை 

தொலைத்த தூக்கங்களால் கல்லூரி விழாக்கள் 

சிக்கி முக்கி நெருப்பாய் பூசல்கள்

தூற்றியவர்களையும் போற்றவைத்த நம் திறமைகள் 

பொறுப்புகள் ஏதுமின்றி நம் உள்ளங்கள்  

நம்மில் ஒருவராயிருந்து அரணான கவிதைமகள் 

தேர்வின் போது மட்டுமே நம் ஸ்பரிசம் பெற்ற புத்தகங்கள் 

காலத்தின் ஓட்டத்தில்... 

மென்பொருள் வல்லுனராய் சிலர் 

பொறியியல் ஆசிரியராய் சிலர் 

காதல் மனைவியாய் சிலர் 

இன்னும் மாணவியாய் பலர். 

காலச் சக்கரம் பின்னோக்கி சுழலாதா?

தொலைத்த நாலு வருடங்களில் 

மீளாதா???

ஒரு நாளேனும்...

அதே பழைய 

குறும்புக்காரியாய்

சண்டைக்காரியாய்

பொறுப்பில்லா ஜென்மமாய் 

வாயாடியாய் 

கோபக்காரியாய் 

மாற மாட்டோமா???

ஒரு நாளேனும்... 

மீட்டெடுக்கின்றனர்

கடவுளும் 

கவிதை மகளும்

அந்நாட்களில் ஒன்றை...

நம் வருகை

அவர் மீட்புக்கும் 

அவர் மீட்பு 

நம் வருகைக்கும் 

அழகூட்டட்டும்...

வருமோ...

இன்னுமோர் மீட்பு ???

யானறியேன்...

--

முடியாத் தேடல்

அம்மாவுக்கு செல்ல மகள்...
அப்பாவுக்கு வாயாடிக் கழுத ...
தம்பிகளுக்கு ஏமாந்தாங்குளி...
தோழிகளுக்கு சண்டைக்காரி...
(சில)ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு தூங்குமூஞ்சி...
உடன் படிப்பவர்களுக்கு ஆர்வக்கோளாறு...
ஆனால்
23 வருடங்கள் தேடியும்
கண்டுகொள்ளவில்லை நான்...
எனக்குள் இருக்கும் என்னை...

Futile laments :(

This is one more of my "delayed", sorry, "very much delayed" posts... 

Some incidents in the recent past have left me skeptical. "Do we live in a democratic country???"... "What on earth is this caste system for???"... etc etc

INCIDENT 1: My fragile physique gave me another opportunity to be at home for 10 odd days last month when i was taken ill. The medic at the hospital wanted me to come again the same day with my blood test results. With great difficulty and pain i got ready for the hospital visit that evening only to find out that the transport flow was solidified owing to a politician's "mega" meeting at the other end of Trichy. (I clarify that im not a supporter of any political party!!!). How many others would have had their daily life affected due to extravagant meetings as these??? At times, i do doubt whether ours is a democracy in the real sense. Anyway, I, one among the commoners of this republic, i think, can do nothing but to lament.

INCIDENT 2: Me and my room-mate Athira were beckoned by the Warden sister at hostel to interact with some girls who have joined CEG and their parents to clear their doubts about the hostel. They threw us sooooooo many questions about  mess timings, everyday menu, bus routes, frequency of buses etc etc. We were patiently answering their queries when one of the girl's mother, who looked well educated asked us, "நீங்க christian ah???" (meaning "Are you a christian?"). I was a bit perturbed by this odd interrogation and politely answered "இல்லை aunty" (no) and tried to divert the topic. She reverted back with another "INTELLIGENT" question which was, "நீங்க எந்த சாமி கும்புடுவீங்க??" (meaning "which god do you worship???"). She had asked me which caste i belong to in an indirect tone but poor me... I could not catch up the implication... Adding one more to my "astute answers", i innocently replied, "சிவன், விஷ்ணு, இந்த மாதிரி தான் கும்பிடுவோம்" ("as all hindus do, we worship sivan, vishnu only"). My goodness, i realized her intention only after some time and felt very bad on how i have made a fool of myself. Never before was i put forth an awkward question as this. She seemed well educated and talked about whether NIT is better than CEG...  Compared GATE and TANCET... blah blah blah... but  not ready to see a human as a human...  Dont know when this virulent caste system, plaguing the society will come to an end.

INCIDENT 3: This shoots back to my stint at home due to my battered physique. This one is kind of humorous. I got on a bus from the hospital to my place and found all the seats occupied. Inspite of many ladies standing, almost all the seats were occupied by valiant menfolk. I bet, i looked very ill and weak. Not even one noble soul was magnanimous enough to offer me a seat. A man, may be in his early 30s was ogling the girls who were standing when i was glancing whether anyone is willing to make me sit. The icing over the cake was that he was sitting in the Ladies' seat. Here i would like to express my appreciation to Chennai men who stand up instantly when seated on a ladies' seat, on seeing a lady stand.

Social changes, with all their noble intentions, fail to percolate down our rigid minds. 

So when are we gonna change???

அழகி

கயலென விழி

கருங்காடென கூந்தல்

தங்கமென தேகம் 

கொடியென இடை 

அன்னமென நடை

சங்கீதமென சிரிப்பு 

எதுவும் அழகு தரவில்லை - 

வெகுளியாய் விழித்த கிராமத்தானை 

ஏளனமாய் ஏறிட்டவளுக்கு.

சின்ன உளறல்கள் இரண்டு

* ஐந்து வயது சிறுமிக்குள் தாய்மை - 

கண்டெடுத்தது அவள் கண்டெடுத்த பூனைக்குட்டி. 

*கல்லூரியை விட அதிகம் கற்பிக்கின்றன - 

பிழைப்பிடதிற்கும் பிறப்பிடதிற்குமான பயணங்கள்.