Home Sweet Home

It’s 6.30 in the evening, and I am walking home from my bus stop. The sun is just about fading, as if thinking whether to give way to the inky darkness that is night and finally surrendering. The orange sodium vapor lights are on, and the busy South Mada street is full of maamis, fresh faced, beautifully adorned with bright red kungumam on their foreheads and fresh malli poo braided in their hair. The cackle of the shoppers and the shopkeepers, as they bargain for a few more pieces of inji and kothamalli is music to the ears. The aroma of arachu vitta vengaya sambar and masala dosai wafts in the evening air, as I pass by Vasantha Bhavan. “Namah Shivaya Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya”, SPB’s voice floats faintly, growing louder and louder as I approach Valleeshwaran Kovil. By reflex, my hand touches both cheeks, my eyes close for a second, a quick prayer to Lord Shiva for, well, nothing. Just a little prayer. The music grows faint again as I am walking away from the kovil towards home. The noise of the market grows distant, and is replaced by Chitra’s voice. “andhandham idhu anandham, anbe anbe anandham” she sings. The music falls into my ears, sometimes loud, sometimes faint, depending upon the volume level in the homes that the “mega-serial” is being watched. I can visualize Sukanya and some women prancing around a poo-kolam. I can’t wait to get home. I can visualize amma has just settled down with her tumbler (not cup) of filter coffee (not Folgers) on the divan in the “hall” (not living room/ family room) after lighting the velakku and praying for, well, everyone. Appa is just back from office and is trying to get amma’s attention to tell her about the loan he didn’t sanction to someone I know my coffee will be waiting too, in a steel tumbler, covered with a davara on top. I am almost home…..

….. when I am shaken out of my reverie by the shrill noise of the microwave indicating that the one minute I wanted to heat the 1% milk in the 50 cent ceramic cup I bought from IKEA is over. A spoon of Folgers Instant Coffee and a packet of Splenda, my coffee is ready. The honey dew melon fragrance of the Yankee Candle that I bought at JC Penney on clearance is wafting in the kitchen. I walk out the door to my porch, and all I see is an expanse of empty road and deafening silence. The stillness is occasionally broken by a car every now and then, or a lady in sweat pants running with her dog. It is 6.30 in the evening, half-a-globe away. There’s plenty of sun and light, and no indication that the night is merely a few hours away….

…. And I still can’t wait to go home!