Down memory lane(inspired by Sunkan!)

Cheeniya · Apr 27, 2007

Dear Abha
The lesson we learn from that kind of living together as a single family can never be taught by any behavioural experts. How it moulds one's character! All the give and take attitude displayed is so heartwarming.
I remember how the entire neighbourhood rejoiced when my elder brother passed his IAS exam securing a national rank! No heartburns, no jealousies, nothing. It was pure non stop celebration!
sri

sudhavnarasimhan · Apr 28, 2007

Dear Cheeniya sir,

I liked the way you took us to Triplicane.....of course, who does not remember our Good Old days....and the colony style living and rejoicing together as families.....well looks like those days are gone for ever! Is this due to the so called "valarchi" ....:idontgetit:
But good one , ending with the dig on hen-pecked husbands and dominating wives....everything has an era ...but i do see it in the serials still....so ....!he he he....

Cheeniya · Apr 28, 2007

Dear Sudha
We have chosen to get out of such life on our own. That life still continues in many pockets in Triplicane, Mylapore and Tiruvanmiyur. I wish to talk on how children are motivated by parents in Triplicane!
Of all hen pecked husbands, the one that comes in a serial called Kolangal!
What more need I say than that he irritates even the women viewers?!!
I am presently engaged in tracing the origin of this clan of hen pecked hubbies. I have gone backwards upto Adam and Eve! Will keep you posted of my findings!
Sri

Vidya24 · Apr 28, 2007

Dear Cheeniya sir,

You took us back in time-- this one, you wrenched my heart. I have also heard of such houses in Triplicane. More than the goodies exchanged, the free entertainment rendered, it is the community spirit and bonhomie that makes such tenements so delightful. One feature of such comunities is that they are so pre-colonial. The reservations, the exclusive nature, the formaility and coldness of colonial rule never seeped into them. And I think such houses can exist only in nam naadu, just think of the communes with free spirited living in Sweden and the US- how come we did not produce any drugs, flower children or rock? Just plain good old community spirit and bonds? Viva Triplicane.

Vidya

PS Have u attended the Triplicane fairs orgainsed these days?

Cheeniya · Apr 28, 2007

Dear Vidya
If you let me speak of those days in Triplicane , I can go on and on and you know that I suffer from stopping trouble! The word bonhomie can describe the real spirit of co-existence in Triplicane just as much as a bathtowel can cover an elephant! There is just no word in any language that can truly reflect life in Triplicane.
Like in the days of yore, every child was asked to go through life in a Gurukulam and even the princes were not spared, we must also have a compulsory system of community living for every child to go through for a period!
Wait till you hear how we were motivated by our parents in those days!
Sri

Kamla · Apr 28, 2007

Dear Cheeniya,

Enjoyed your trip through the memory lane. It made me nostalgic. Although I grew up in a nuclear family in B'lore very much like many of today's city dwellers, thanks to our vacations to Madras to visit grandparents and co, I have had the pleasure of participating in such a set up. It used to take us a couple of days to adjust to the 'communal' living they enjoyed. I used to love those houses and even recently have mused on IL (in another thread at another time) as to why our houses are not modeled on those lines, throwing in few modern amenities of course( even the fanciful thinking had to have a touch of reality?!) ! When the wonderful vacations came to an end, we two sisters used to feel pangs of pain thinking of the camaraderie that we left behind at dear grandparents in our quiet home back in B'lore.

L, Kamla

Cheeniya · Apr 28, 2007

Dear Kamla
I remember the day when my dad on hearing the news of my elder brother becoming an IAS officer decided to move over to an upmarket locality in keeping with his newly acquired status. I was still in School and for three days I undertook a fast unto death resisting his move! The tears that I shed were enough to drown an elephant but the old man had his say!
We moved over to a house in Nungambakkam where each house was separated from the other by a hundred yards. How I hated that switch over in my life!
I can very well understand the pangs you would have felt after a wonderful holiday with your grandparents
Sri

Vandhana · Apr 28, 2007

Dear Cheeniya Sir,

A nice trip down memory lane. You brought back some nice nostalgic memories for me too. I grew up in Bangalore. Even though we lived in an apartment , those were some good times. We did not need TV to keep us entertained. All of us kids some 30 plus children, just used to play so many games. And of course , parents would never know where we ended up eating dinner. And every festival, we would put on some skit or small play and it was so much fun.

Now i really feel sorry for the youngsters these days, who cannot experience such good times!

Vandhana

PS, i don't believe in the Hen pecked theory at all. I think men just act that way to give a women a false sense of importance/dominance/etc etc....

Cheeniya · Apr 28, 2007

Dear Vandhana
Your description of your neighbourhood sounds like the fun that kids had in Mani Rathnam's movie Anjali. Thotta Tarani excelled himself in creating an excellent residential colony. You are right that the present kids are not able to have that kind of fun.
That's a totally new twist to the Hen-peck Theory! If what you say is true, I must congratulate those men for their consummate skill in acting. I can understand their facial expressions as part of their acting but all the sweating and ice cold palms? My God!
Sri

Kamalji · Sep 11, 2007

Sri,

A good trip down memory lane.But too short.Write [part 2 please.Tell us about the girls u liked, before and after marriage ( or too henpecked to reveal ),and other interesting aspects of yr life.Would be fun to read.

You inspire me to write one about mine, but not half as fascinating as yrs.REgards.kamal