to the moon and back

from the frying pan into the fire.. not really mangalore was heaven in terms of the weather! the breeze was awesome.. and though there was no ac in my grandma's house it was not bad at all!! but its good to be back. familiarity is safe ;)

as i was entering mangalore ( the airport is on some remote hill.. and there is not 'much' of a runway.. im happy this thought did not occur during the take off!) i was looking at the city as a tourist would. never mind the lack of sleep of complete exhaustion, cause of gettin up at four in the morning. i was looking around very detatched, in awe.. at times with wonder. globalisation has not spared much. the sleepy?? town has been transformed into a bustling metropolis. atleast according to me. nothing like he other major metros.. but the fact that what used to be just mangalore alone has become dakshina kannada and udpi district itself is testimony to the effects of modernity..


quite a few of the old buildings have gone. the new ones seem jarring. out of place. ugly even especially to someone who has been raised on the staple diet of mangalore tiles and an almost 'rustic' attitude to life ;). even the poeple have changed. bollywood rears its ugly ass head in the way certain sections of people have begun to dress..

but somethings never change.. *sigh* the konkani community's preocupation with food and marriage is.... is.. i guess just sort of a topic of amusement now. but its very irritating when they go on and on about how they have a ' good boy' in mind!!???what the fuck? and god help you if refuse to eat in any konkani household! the one preparing the food (usually my grandma) will take personal offense and to add insult to the injury will report it to all the inmates/inhabitants of the household. not a very pleasant experience. when in doubt please eat! for the love of god eat! the coconut trees also remind me so much of mangalore.. thought i know most coastal areas are replete with the damn trees and the falling coconuts. not al have been razed to the ground to make way for some new building.. also the 'dress' that women prefer at any given point is the humble 'nighty'. its very intersting to note there is one to wear for the day one for the night. god forbid should you 'exchange' the two! the embarassment the ladies of the household will be face.. ;) but the true beauty of the place lies in its beaches!! especially the one in surathkal!! its beaauuttiifuul. clean. quite. and not a soul in sight. bliss.

the main reason i went there was to meet my grandma. and i dont want to ever go back. she is not well and probably wont live too long. and it takes too much control not to cry my heart out everytime i see her so weak. i really donot understand why she has to endure so much pain.. that too at the end of her damn life.

anyway the second reason was the thread ceremony of my cousin brother. it was an exhaustive inhouse affair with relatives and family.i was on my best behaviour.. much to the shock and amazement of mother dearest.

as i am writing this i realise that first - i want a house in mangalore. surathkal maybe. near the sea..there is a beach in the front yard and fields in the back. second- i can converse with the 'natives' in my broken kannada. not bad i say. and inevitably most know konkani, which becomes very embarassing( for mum not me!;) when i am fighting with mum. we usually revert to the mother tongue so people around donot have any idea what we are saying. lol!