TWTW (BH:D204-210)

February 28, 2012

Most of the week went in recalling the events of the trip and narrating them to friends and relatives. I say events, but I have read enough Lehrer and Ramachandran about the nonexistent division between human memory and imagination to know that what has been narrated are simply stories inspired by real events and these stories will continue to evolve over time. 

On Thursday, went to Shanghumukham beach before dinner. Though it was close to 8pm, plenty of activity at the beach. It felt good to snack on hot peanuts, watching the frothing white waves that revealed the separation between the black sand and dark sea with untiring regularity, while swapping school day stories with friends. Some fishermen had returned early with their catch and were bargaining with sticklers who were looking for the freshest dinner possible.

Saw the final version of the 'Seaports through the lens of architecture' conference presentation by Saiju that I had helped prepare. The visual impact of stuff these architects do is such a class apart from what engineers manage. Quite surprised to know that powerpoint could help create such a lively presentation. Hoping to learn from him a few techniques soon. And try to get a technical paper out of the presentation.

Our hunger guided us to MRA restaurant behind the mosque at Palayam. Shawarma, kababs and bbq were being prepared outside to allure passers by with their aroma. We ordered chicken bbq with an Arabic name that I have now forgotten except for the 'Al' part. Amusing conversation getting the order right with the Nepali looking waiter who spoke only Hindi. Sulaimani tea to finish up. 

On Friday, first day second show (9:30) of 'The Artist' at New Theater. Brilliant must watch film. As we hurried to the ticket counter five minutes before the show, the beared man at the counter rather helpfully warned us, "dialog onnum illatha padamanu ketta, black and white aanu" (It is a movie without dialogs and also black and white). Great customer service! We must have appeared like two dudes rushing into an 'English' film at night hoping for some skin show. Less than a dozen viewers including two white women. The movie was replaced by 'Action King' Arjun's 'Kaattupuli' next day!

'The Artist' was as endearing as Chaplain's City Lights. A classic illustration of the argument by many of the all time great directors that both color and sound can be considered superfluous in movies. Great story telling simply needs a good story, inspired dedicated performances and supportive background score. 'The Artist' had all the three. Some of the sequences like the fake hug through the coat on the hanger, the loyal dog trying to dissuade a suicide etc are sure to be copied and repeated ad nauseum in Indian movies. The scene set on the Eschersque stairways of the movie studio is film making at its best. The lack of sound and color which appear at the outset like limitations are used as fodder for several clever tricks and effects. I was glad that the movie scored so well at the Oscars on Monday.

Sunday morning I waited excitedly to hear from Houston how the 26th production of Meenakshi Theaters titled 'Nadanthathu Enna' went. I have been receiving regular updates on the rehearsal progress from Priya. She called a couple of hours after the show. Great to hear that the play was a hit. It was the first ticketed show of the production house and the first directorial venture by Vishy. So the pressure was double on him. Around 40 people had to be turned away since the show was house full at the Jewish Community Centre. Grand Success! Spoke to the friends who had participated in the project. From the few albums and short video posted online, the play appears totally professional. Apt sets and good lighting. Good to see actors comfortably sitting down and utlilising the entire stage space. I find it very irritating when all the actors stand in a line near stage front as if they are in the climax scene of old Tamil and Telugu movies and take turns in delivering dialogs as if it is a radio play. Hoping to see the full video soon and see the much praised performances by Priya, Satheesh and Ganesh. 

Three day Rajasthan tourism festival at the Sri Moolam Club during weekend. The usual wedding hall had been converted to around a dozen display and sales booth. Good crowd checking out the colorful, distinct Rajasthani footwear, tie and die (called bandini with circular designs) and mirror work (sheshedaari) clothes. Big rush at the food stall selling a sample Rajasthani 'Thali' and couple of dessert items. At a temporary stage set up at the far end of the hall, a small troupe of singers and couple of young dancing women in black, mirror worked ghagra cholis were performing. 

While watching Oscar awards on TV yesterday morning, loud pick axe work noises from street outside. Right outside our house, two workers from the government water and drain department were digging the tar of the road to get to the manhole below. These workers were here a few weeks ago to set right another drainage problem. The men who are all muscle went about the task of removing the concrete slab with effortless ease. The muscles are not the bulky, steroidal Bollywood kind but the ones that get the job done as smart women around the world have secretly recognized for centuries.

When the slab was removed, the sight resembled the product of an Indus Valley excavation. Old dry bricks, broken earthen pipes and inexplicable dryness. How could this Allahabad, the meeting place of drains from three houses be so dry! It looked like nothing fluid had made it to that intersection for years. More digging was essential to get to the bottom of this phenomenon. But the men had no idea that they would have to work for 12 hours straight without getting even a lunch break. Stupendous stamina. Turns out, rain washed soil had blocked all the outlet pipes from the houses, cracked had developed in the stagnation and everything was being absorbed by the ground around the houses itself. Thus, unknowingly, we were part of a good organic waste fertilizer project. No wonder the 'gowri gatram' coconut tree in the backyard was providing delicious tender coconuts. 

Though at our house simple water jet cleaning was enough to clear the block, at doctor uncle's the men had to demolish a brick and cement platform to get to the manhole. While working, they kept talking about the tougher jobs they had done elsewhere. A rickshaw driver who had come to the area repeated the cliche, "as soon as tarring is done, these guys come and dig it up." Pat came the reply from one of workers:"This is not America!". He went onto explain how in America roads are never dug up and there are machines to do everything. "Would you rather live in America," he asked the autorickshaw driver, "where your rickshaw will be crushed by all the other speeding cars? Because there you have travel at a given speed or you will be arrested!" 

Went for evening walk inside the Padmanabha Swamy temple. The cataloging of the $22 billion worth of treasure discovered here last year, has begun. It felt nice to walk shirtless, barefeet on the polished rock floor of the long pillared corridor surrounding the sanctum. With more walks in the future, I hope to examine the carvings on the pillars and unfaded mural paintings that cover the sanctum's wall. 

Armed with the knowledge that this 'temple' has ancient origin and clearly passed through different native religions and Buddhism before the current Brahmaniacal occupation, the tour inside is quite educational. It was fun to see the label on a couple of stone idols next to sanctum as 'Vyasa, Ashwathama'. I wonder what Ashwathama is doing so close to the main diety and why he has such a great affinity to Vyasa. I am sure amazing stories like the explanation of Shiva's 'linga' that devotees will effortlessly swallow have been created for Ashwathama and Vyasa also. The vault next to these idols has an armed guard on duty. 

There is the expected mad dash of devotees at the sanctum, mostly North Indians, busy touching all the stone in the area with their hands and foreheads. I wonder if it is blessings or some hidden gold that they seek. The sleeping god is selectively close to those who pay good money for the different pujas. Those who don't spent have to watch the divine from a distance, through the gaps in the richer crowd in front of them.

Right next to the lattice window at the feet of the big main idol (the sleeping Ananda) spanning three rooms, there is the painting of a goddess. She carries a bunch of freshly harvested golden rice in one hand. The Chinese rice goddess came to mind. The identical male figures in the paintings, shown with folded hands around the numerous 'Boddhisatva' type gods and goddess, are fully naked 'Digambaras' with hair style resembling the classical music experts of today. I wonder what the 'Hindu' explanation for them is!

It is great to sit in the corridor enjoying the sunset. The roar of flights landing and taking off from the airport couple of kilometers away can be clearly heard. The perpetual cool breeze carries a slight hint of the sea. The entry to the marvelously sculpted main entrance tower has been closed now for security reasons. Else the airport, sea and the intense activity at the Chalai market are clearly visible from its top windows.

When the priest walks around, a temple staff member walks in front of him shouting 'vazhi, vazhi' lest some of the lesser mortals pollute the man closest to god by touching him. I wonder if this priest would insist on a high caste, 'twice-born' surgeon to do his bypass surgery. I guess it takes a heart first to need a bypass.