ñān pēāyiṭṭ varāṁ

As I was closing my eyes and mentally preparing myself to actually wake up and write my thesis, on the other tab that was open since a long time a sentence popped, it said
Dear Kochi, nan poyitt vara! I went behind that thought and this is where it led me..

I had read stories, watched movies, heard people speak about this God’s own country and thought to myself what’s so special about it? In the 14 months I’ve lived here, I’ve asked myself this many times, why so charmed by Kochi – Ernakulam – Kerala, Avanthika?

I don’t know, I mean I’m one simple person da, I thrive when I’m left on my own without anyone’s kirkiri. If you let me be, I’ll gladly let you be; all up for drama but just not in my own life kinda vibe, one might say it’s a lazy mentality but I like to think of it as Queen’s way of living! Lemme explain, I know it’s a very big responsibility to take care of the entire citizens, to live up to the expectations of the kingdom, so many things to think about but do you think when the queen is taking a long relaxing shower or slipping into sleep she’ll think about all this?! I don’t think so, I mean of course she’ll defend and protect and do everything in her power for her people and their good but that’s only if and when she has to, otherwise she’s chillin only. No ? For some reason, I feel this queen of Arabian sea lives the exact same queen’s life!

Just another day at work!

There’s room for everyone here, she’s blessed in terms of beauty, on her watch, the leaves are never covered in dust, there’s enough for everyone and more, she’s compassionate, she’s kind but she’s a Queen who’ll not go easy – there’s consequences but most importantly, she’ll let you be!

There are just so many incidents that are very normal, everyday scenes that feel like it’s from some movie or a book! That’s what I like the most about this place – the extra- ordinary!
The thing about this place and its people is that they are simple – Stand near a chaya kada with a cup of chaya, munch on pazham pori\ parippu vada or kappalandi and just watch life happen!

There’s protests, crime and fights but there’s also unity, joy and immense pride for the roots they belong to and a tree grows only when the roots are strong and healthy!

Cheta’s on a break!

Here there’s place – to sit and do nothing, streets to walk without any purpose, so much backwaters to turn to while turning your back to the real world, to stop everything and watch not just the setting sun but also the sky after!
Here people know the art of doing nothing – at least for a short while, taxis and autos stop under huge trees, two feets crossed over one another pop out while the brain peacefully shuts up! People make a living out of lottery either selling or buying (subject to market risk), from small fights to major issues get sorted over a cup of chaya and there’s always love in the air, always!! Because couples are just everywhere!! There’s parotta and beef, putt and kadala curry, appam and stew and the Sadya to feast! Oh! There’s absolute love for football, Onam and Christmas like nowhere else!

‘Tis the season to be Jolly!

You’ll not even know when God’s own country slowly seeped into you, making you feel it’s own and being a part of you in its own subtle ways!

Like elsewhere, there’s chaos here, life’s tough, living isn’t the easiest and everyone’s got their own shit going on but The Queen takes you under her wings, she’ll let you be and there’s space so you learn to give it some time, Buddy, be it Sulaimani tea or kattan chaya unless the powder settles, you won’t be able to savor the real taste! And Kochi taught me that!
For me, it shall always be Dear Kochi, ‘ñān pēāyiṭṭ varāṁ’
Now I better sleep because Avanthika needs this degree and a real job because she isn’t really a queen in the real world.
So, what’s your thing about Kochi? Shall we talk about that over a kattan chaya and beautiful sunset backdrop, whatsay ?

PS: Not converting, Mangaluru is Mangaluru.

Note: Wrote this few days ago, done with defending my M.Tech dissertation work, submitted my thesis and on my way home to my dog!

A teaspoon of sugar.

That was a very big city and I felt like a little sparrow that was lost in the middle of nowhere. I couldn’t just keep calm and hence, took a book, my phone and typed ‘nearest cafe’ on the Google maps and started walking. On my way, I saw what kind of life the people in that city lived. A lady was taking her dog for a walk, an elderly uncle tied his arms at the back and was maintaining a fast pace, there was a guy wearing huge helmets, earphones and riding bicycle. Within few minutes I reached the cafe. I’m not a big fan of milk, so, I ordered myself a black coffee and sat at the corner table. Here’s the thing, I really like being in a place where no one recognizes me. The cafe was like a little world on it’s own. There was so much happening inside this cute little place. In spite of being isolated from the busy roads outside, it had a charm and life that made everything sweet. There was a young group of teenagers celebrating their birthday, a couple sorting out their issues, two people just at the beginning of their new journey, stressed lady trying to get her work done on the laptop, two best friends stalking someone on their social media, four young minds closing a deal for their startup company and on the corner table of the other end, there was a guy who was sitting and observing everything with a scribbling pad and a pen, he was like another me in this room. As I started reading the book, slowly all the noise around me started fading away, I couldn’t hear the order bell at the counter or laughter and giggles at the table next to me, I entered the world that my book had built for me, I got lost in the thoughts of the author, but exactly knew where I was in reality. The author started throwing twists one after the other and I just couldn’t stop ordering my third drink and turning the pages over. I gasped at the information I just got from the book and when I looked around, the guy in the corner table at the other end was now standing next to my table with two cups of black coffee; he asked if he could sit on my table, I smiled and offered him a chair. A teaspoon of sugar? He asked. Yes, a teaspoon of sugar, I said.
I still can’t believe I had a cup of coffee with the best selling author of the book I was reading at a cafe in a new city!

Dreams to memories.

Just six months ago, the city Hyderabad was like any other city of Telangana to me, maybe a little familiar due to the famous biryani, the beautiful Charminar, Tirupati and of course the pearls. Three months ago, it was a city I hoped to live and explore for nine weeks, doing my first ever internship! During the two months of my stay, Hyderabad became a place where I began my professional baby steps, had a sneak peek into the life after college, lived the typical weekend to weekend life, explored the city, its tastes, colors and feels! Traveled like a Hyderabadi, made friends, visited relatives and experienced everything that this place had to offer! The emotions, laughter, sadness, excitement, happiness, missing home and people back home and what not! Today, when I know I will be flying back home tomorrow, I know this city is not just any city anymore, I now know the roads, people to visit, memories to relive and tales to update every time I hear or visit this very place. It’s amazing how a dream becomes a reality and then remains with you as a memory.

A maze of dreams .

 

I woke up with a jerk, ahh! It indeed was a scary dream, sitting on my bed on a cold night I started thinking .. Maybe this is just a dream, my birth, past 18 years, school, exams, grades, family, friends I have made, the memories, the adventures, fights, accidents and incidents everything is a dream. Nope, not only me in fact all of us are living our dream! We might have been in the dream which is a part of a daydream that’s in another dream inside a dream in the dream that we are now living !