I Met Two Great ILites! Had a Great Day!

Dear Vidya
I have developed this paternal love for you from the very first day that we communicated. I cant offer any reason for it and all such things for which I have no reason make me feel overawed and accept them without a question. Later on I found that you are about my first daughter's age and that revelation made me feel even closer to you.
I always refer to you as my dotty whenever I talk to some of my peers here.
And the interest that you took in forcing me to ask for a sub forum was the turning point in my IL positioning!
Be there always for me, Vidya and let me continue to draw inspiration from your presence
Sri

Dear Kamla
That I am exactly as you have imagined reinforces my belief that all old men would eventually look alike! A different face is given to each category though, like a cheerful old man, grumpy one, complaining one et al! My wrtings would have made you believe that I must be a cheerful old man and that turned out to be true as my wrtings are nothing but reflections of my inner self!
Sri

Dear Sunkan
Now that my ambition of meeting chitvish and varalotti has at last materialised thanks to the initiative taken by chitvish, the only other ambition continues to remain unfulfilled. I mean meeting you!
I can never forget that you initiated me in IL and never ceased to encourage me to continue writing in the initial stages when I felt a bit discouraged by the lack of response and when I felt odd writing in a purely women's site!
Your words of encouragement have certainly been extremely motivating.
As things went initially, you should have been the first I would have met and as you know I had even made my travel plans! But the fact that you were preoccupied as a dutiful mother and I had to cancel that trip. I am still looking forward to that elusive meeting for we have been friends for a longer period than any in IL.
I am even a bit sad and disappointed that you have to know me through reports than experiencing it first hand! But Insha Allah, our meeting cant be postponed any further! Its not fair!
Sri

I am sure everyone has experienced this before. When you go to keep your appointment with a celebrity, however well prepared you may be, you are bound to deleop cold feet on the momentous occasion. To tell you the truth, my feet were as cold as walking barefoot on a glacier when I had my first meeting with Varalotti on this hot and humid Saturday forenoon!

I dont know how many of you would remember this but I started writing for IL at a time when Varalotti was on a long leave from IL. I did not mean it as a strategy but in retrospect I think it was a good strategy. I could very soon see the undisputed place that he was occupying in the hearts of ILites and how difficult it would have been to get a foothold had he been present when I started writing.

In fact, most of the ILites who took to reading my stuff on a regular basis even told me that I was lucky that he was not around. Some even predicted some kind of a clash of the Titans! I was very clear in my mind that I was no Titan and knowing the unassailable position that he enjoyed in IL, I was too keen to be on the right side of him!

So just before he could start after his holiday, I phoned him up to introduce myself and that very first chat with him allayed all my fears that he might be some kind of a Lata Mangeshkar ganging up against Vani Jayaram! He was not just friendly. He went far beyond that. He made me believe that he was virtually eating every word that I wrote! It was love at first sight if such an expression is permissible between two men!

So when Chitvish said that it was possible that he might be coming to Chennai with his wife on 14th July and if I would like to meet them, I jumped at the offer. And when I was struck down with a nasty viral infection a couple of days before the D-day, I panicked. I pleaded with the medico to give me as powerful a medicine as possible to become well enough in a day and believe me he did just that. I got reasonably well to keep my tryst with the legend though I am still fighting the after effects of that strong medicine!

On the appointed day, I tried to reach the house of chitvish ahead of the sridhars to acclamatise myself with the ambience but due to a misreading of the hazards of chennai traffic, I was late as usual. When Chitvish opened the door to my knock, the sight of Varalotti Sridhar in all his six feet and his stunning wife knocked me out completely and in my confusion, I left my footwear in the kitchen!

Quite a few of you here would have known the famous 'Made for Each Other' contest conducted periodically by Wills those days. It had to be stopped when the Government came down heavily on all the promotional schemes of these companies. Had that competition been alive today, Sridhar and Indhu would be walking away with the Prize everytime beating their competitors by several lengths as in racing parlance!

I can not better explain my initial experience of meeting Sridhar than how I described it to my old friend Vish as a feeling that comes when one meets a friend known to him for generations and I honestly mean it. In a split second we settled down to a jolly exchange of views on all matters under the sun!

I could see instantly how he comes to occupy such a strong position in IL. I knew that it would be so not just in IL but wherever he got himself associated. There was absolutely no bandha, no airs, nothing. More importantly, he succeeded making me believe that I was some kind of a phenomenon in IL. Truly great souls always project their image in others and not unto themselves. The reason is not far to seek. They have nothing more to go after, no peaks to conquer and no personal glory to aspire for. So they help others to achive them and derive joy from that.

Sridhar has nothing more to prove either in IL or anywhere else in his writing skills. People like me and several other aspiring writers who try to emulate his example never fail to get his appreciation and that's how he motivates!
Sri

Dear Varalotti sir, Cheeniya sir and Chitvish madam,

I am really thankful to Chithra madam for posting the photos as I could see Cheeniya sir. I have seen the photos of Varalotti sir and Chithra madam before. But I feel that madam is becoming thinner day by day. You are taking good care of your health, aren't you?

The better halves of both Sris look superb. And not only Varalotti sir and Indhu but even Cheeniya sir and Indira madam can also walk away with the "Made for each other " prize. I am sure that even without seeing "Mr.Vish", Chithra madam can also be a contender.

As all of us ILites can see that all of your hearts and minds are beautiful.

I would like to see you all in person. Are you coming to Bangalore or shall I come to Chennai?

Lots of love and regards,

Abha.

Dear Trio,
'One of your dreams will come true today'.I hope this will be one of the predictions for my raasi. I didn't see it but I can feel that for sure.(I am copying Varalotti's idea here).
Happy to 'see' the members of the IL family one by one. When Varalotti described Cheeniya sir with a white beard, my feeling at that moment was that of the famous old men 's(!) make-up (?) today. Luckily, he was not like that. He is more dignified in his looks, so also varalotti.
The better-half of these two men prove that they are behind their successful men.
No words to descibe Mrs. Chitvish's enthusiaism. Where is Mr.V in the photos? Hope to see him in the coming photos.
Take care everybody.
Sriniketan

Dear Abha & Sriniketan,
I am posting a photo of V with Varalotti & Sri, specially for your asking !
If you see V's photo, you will realise that I am reducing my weight to match him atleast at this age & stage of life !
Love,
Chithra.

Dear Chitvish,
Thank you for posting the picture of Mr.V. Quick response is also one of the qualities I admire in you and wish to follow.
Some people do not put on weight eventhough they eat well. My father is on the same category as V. My mother once told me that my father's niece asked my mom why my father is not putting on weight and my mother answerd her that maybe the food she makes doesn't have any effect on him. (udambula otta maattaengudu polayirukku). It may also be their body type.
Now I know the secret of your successful married life-even now you are ready to adjust to match him.
With thanks
Sriniketan

Wowww!!!

another great meeting of ILites...

I must say, today i have seen 2 very handsome guys... Cheeniya Sir and Varalotti, the Sridhar Square (mathematical expression) of IL...

and Mrs Chitra and Mr. Vishwanathan, are a very good looking, royal and graceful couple....

It was great to see all of your pictures

you guys had a blast it seems !!!

Dear Cheeniya sir,

Logged in a pensive mood, your post cheered me up instantly. In a lifetime we meet so many. yet it is just with a few that we click. I am so glad we connected. And happier still, that along with your other fans, I too pushed you into accepting the sub-forum.

So your daughter is 16 too? I needed parental consent to join IL.

I am touched that you refer to me as your dotty. Those who know me well will swear that the term suits me fully.

My dad was about your build and complexion sans the white beard. So, you do remind me of many good times, whiffs of Old Spice, poetry of Yeats, much happiness---