"Amma, naan kovilukku poivittu varen" (Mom, I am going to the temple)

"Amma, naan kovilukku poivittu varen" (Mom, I am going to the temple)


"Amma, naan kovilukku poivittu varen"(ANKPV) - (Mom, I am going to the temple).
I heard Mythili shouting at the top of her voice. Mythili lived in the house just across the street.
"Ok, Ok. Come back soon," her mother replied.
"Amma, naan Ellai Amman kovilukk poren" - (Mom, I am going to the Ellai amman Devi mandir). Mythili shouted once again.
"Go any where. But, why do you stand on the road and keep shouting like this?
Can't you behave like a decent girl," her mother rushed out chiding.
I peeped out of our window. Could see Mythili smiling at her mom.
In between, did I see her glance at my window? I was not sure.

First things first:
I am full of Twenty years, a young male - hale & healthy. I had just finished my graduation and come to my elder sister's house in Triplicane, Madras (Chennai) on vacation for a month. All houses in that locality were street houses - row of houses built adjoining each other.
Mythili was in her first year BSc(Physics) in Ethiraj College. As per my sister, who was her teacher in High School, she was brilliant student - very sharp - capable of thinking quite a few steps ahead.
Both our houses were single storeyed with a small terrace facing each other.
On the very first day of my arrival, I happened to see Mythili and felt drawn to her. I had gone to the terrace for doing some open-air aerobic exercises. It coincided with Mythili's arrival on their terrace. She had come for hanging clothes for drying.
She looked resplendent in her colourful half saree & pavadai (skirt). Her skirt was partilly lifted on one side and casually tucked at her hip - exposing her right knee.
Had Ravi verma been around, he would have added one more to his famous paintings. I could not take my eyes off her. I had dreamt of having a girl friend to call my own but never had the guts to go beyond dreaming. I was good at sports, oratory & all that; but, when it comes to girls I became tounge tied. Could never even bring my self around to say 'Hi' to a girl, leave alone the magical three words 'I Love You'. Once I happened to see a young man being beaten up on the road, by an enraged father, for having expressed his love to a girl. From then on, I never even looked at a girl in her eyes lest she misunderstand that I expressed love thro' my eyes. I always kept a decent distance from young girls.
For the next 15min or so, when Mythili looked busy hanging the clothes on the line, all I did was some strenevous exercise for my eyes only. One moment she would appear in between some wet clothes and quite suddenly, she would disapper as well. Most of the time, I could only see her ankles. Even her feet looked as if they were dancing to some inaudible drums. Was it to my heart's beat?
I had a feeling that she also was watching me from behind the clothes - but not sure. Could be my imagination. All the same, l was shamelessly staring at whatever I could see of her, emblodened by the fact that there was no one else around other than we two. It was very clear to me that I have fallen for her - hook, line & sinker.

Now back to the main story:
Were those shouts ANKPV meant more for someone else other than her mom. Otherwise, what was the necessity for her to announce so loudly from the road repeatedly.
Could I be the lucky one? My Blood Pressure shot up at the thought. I was excited. Am I supposed to follow suit? But, the scene of the poor lad getting beaten up sprung to my mind and pinned me back.

I wished my friend Venkatachari (Venky) was around. He was considered expert on such matters in our class. He used to say that it calls for a different brain to understand these girls. " Normally girls are wired to say 'no' only.
Please understand that initially when a girl says 'No' she means 'yes'?
If she says 'NO' vehemently, it means that she is very much interested in you - but your efforts are not good enough. Better Buck up! Otherwise I am gone".
One day I asked him" What if she says 'Yes' by chance?"
"Better run to save yourselves" he replied.

I know the temple Mythili was refferring to - Elliamman Temple in the corner of SV Koil Street. I had gone there a few times. Infact, yesterday, when I was leaving the temple, I noticed Mythili and her friend Bhuvana entering it.

Suddenly, I could see four or five boys, the neighbourhood Romeos, materialising on our street. I had seen them all in the temple yesterday, circumbulating the shrine and one of them was mentioning to his friend that it called for perseverance and patience to get 'Ambal Kadaksham'. Yesterday I did not think much of his statement. Now, I understand what he could have meant.
'Was Mythili the Goddess they were referring to amongst themselves? Was the loud announcement she made a signal for the boys to follow? Should I throw my hat also in the ring? Being a novice at this game, do I stand a chance amidst these experienced RSRs (Road Side Romeos)? How do I divert the Ambal's Kadksham towards me?' So many thoughts were crowding my mind.
The possibility of getting a side glance & smile from Mythili was alluring. I badly wanted to rush out of my house in hot persuit. It was then that I happened to see Mythili's dad coming out of their house. Six footer with a solid build and a threatening moustache to go with it. Suddenly realisation dawned on me - 'No girl on earth is worth getting beaten on the road by such monsters.' I thought it was better to stay put at home.
I even skipped going to the terrace from the next morning onwards. But, more I tried to avoid her, I could feel my mind getting drawn to her with double the force. I couldn't help looking at her stealthily through the window whenever she passed through. "Is this what they call love?" I was not certain. How to find out whether Mythili also has any soft feelings for me? Or is it Oru thalai ragam? (One sided love) Venky O' Venky. Where are you?

But the more I thought of Mythili, it was only her dad who came to my mind. How can God ruthlessly pit the 'male love birds' against such fully grown monsters? Who gives them the right of might - just because they had fathered those beautiful feminine birds? Oh! What an unfair world?

For the next couple of days there was no ANKPV announcement. Ofcourse I could very well notice the RSRs patrolling the street between the temple and our house many times in the day.
Few of them made our piol their adda joint, given the view it offered to the entrance to Mythili's house.
'Could it be those three days?' I heard one whispering to the other.
'No, no. It can't be. I am keeping a count' was the reply.

Couple of days later. It was a Sunday.
I was busy in my aerobics inside the house - terrace still remained a taboo. I heard someone ringing the door-bell.
Thereafter my sister was heard welcoming someone inside "Vango, vango. Sowkyama? What a surprise? It is definitely going to rain."
"Sowkyaththukku enna koraichchal? (No dearth of sowkyam). Has your brother come to visit you?" the visitor enquired.
"Amamam. (Yes, yes). He has come on vacation for a month. Already 10 days have passed in a jiffy. He would go back in the next 2 weeks or so.
Hearing the topic revolving around me I peed thro' the gap between the doors. Oh God. It was Mythili's mom talking to my sister with the 'kutty devathai' hiding behind her.
"Yes, I can understand. Teacher, I need your help. Mythili has some doubts in her Mechanics lessons. She has great regards for you as her teacher and desires your help. Could you please help?" the mother asked.
"I would love to but may not be in a position to do justice to college Physics syllubus. More so, as you know I did chemistry major."
"But teacher, could your brother be of some help?", now it was Mythili.
Perhaps, I was right. So mine was not 'oru thalai ragam' after all. Also, this girl has guts. Wow!
I wanted to shout "YES! YES!! YES!!!" and rush out.
But, Venky's oft repeated advice to our friends in love came to mind. "Pazham nazhuvi paalil vizhumbodhu avasarppattal, pazhamum keezha vizhum; paalum kottum. Kaali paththiram thaan minjum" meaning - when things are working out to your advantage by themselves, allow it to take its own course. If you try to hurry things up, you will end up a loser.
Also, as I was in shorts & banian, doing aerobics and full of sweat, I may not look presentable to Mythili's mom. First impression being the best impression, I was not keen on a prospective MIL carry a sweaty impression of me. I waited.
I expected my sister to say that she would first check it up with me before replying.
"You see mami. My bro is a very shy type. He wouldn't feel comfortable to come to your house for coaching Mythili. I can instead ask a friend of mine, Physics teacher, to come to your house after the school hours" my sis replied.
I wanted to shout "Oh! Akka. What a spoil sport you are? Please realise that your bro has grown up. I am no more the one running after you, holding on to your pallu. I am ready to go anywhere to be with Mythili alone for sometime."
"Oh, teacher. I need only a few clarifications. I may not require a full time tutor. If it is not inconvenient to you, I don't mind coming here in the evenings" said Mythili. Wow, how shrewd she was? She talks about my sis's convenience and not mine.
"I don't know whether my bro would be willing to..."
Even before my sister could complete the sentence Mythili replied "You know very well that you were my favorite teacher in High School and was responsible for my academic excellance all along. I am sure, your bro will be an equally good & inspiring teacher. Please convince him to spare sometime for me. I will come in the evening". She took leave of my sister and dragged her mother along without giving any scope for my sis to rethink.
Oh God! Venky was dead right. 'Never estimate a girl by her looks. Ellam "Parththal poonai; painthaal puli" - Milder the looks wilder the tricks' he used to say.


After sometime, my sister spoke to me about her talk with Mythili & her mother and asked whether it was OK for me to coach Mythili for a few days.
"Look, akka! I have come here on a holiday, for spending some quality time with you. I don't want to go to various houses conducting tution classes. I am aware, education is the best 'dhaan' one could give. But, not at the expense of spending time with you & your family for which I have come all the way. If someone could come here, that too with specific doubts, I don't mind helping them out. But not otherwise". I thought that was how Mythili would have replied, had she been in my place and felt proud.
My sister was pleased. "My dear bro. Don't I know you? This was precisely what I had also told Mythili's mom. You need not go to their house. Let the student come to the teacher to learn. Mythili will come in the evening. Please see what you could do to help her."

It took a long time for the evening to arrive. How slow the clock moved, without realising my urgency? Atlast the evening came and so was Mythili. Initially, I was tounge tied. Didn't know how to react. Now the fruit has fallen into the milk all right. But what do do next? Oh Venky?

"What was your doubt in Mechanics?" I finally asked.
"I never said anything about Mechanics" Mythili replied.
"But, but .... You were telling something this morning to my sister?"
"So you were hiding behind the door & over hearing.Your poor sister thinks that you are such a 'paavum' type but in reality you seem to be a 'moppam' type."
"No,no. Not overhearing. You people were talking a bit loud you know"
"So, this was loud for you but not what I was shouting at the top of my voice the other day"
"What? What do you mean??"
"My shouting ANKPV. The boys from entire neighbour-hood were there at the temple but you were not to be seen?"
"Oh that. I never knew it was meant for me"
"Then how did you pass out of your college? Don't you people develop any common sense in colleges?"
"Ok, ok. Would be careful from now on. But, do you really have any doubt in Mechanics?"I asked.
"Yes. Could you please expliain Newton's 3rd Law of motion?"
I started showing off. "Oh! That is very simple. The law states that 'for every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction'.
This means that for every force there is a reaction force that is equal in size, but opposite in direction. You see, you push an object hard and get pushed back in the opposite direction equally hard. Is it clear?"
"No. More I push you hard, you keep running away? Then what is that law called?"
"Father-in-Law." I managed to reply with a smile. For once I had the better of her.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
I told her about the road side scene where a father was beating up a youth for having expressed his love to his daughter. I confessed that the even a look at her father had nullified all the equal & opposite reaction generated against her push.
She laughed and said "you could not come across a more harmless human being than my dad. You know looks could be deceptive."
Rest was history. Things progressed as she planned over the next few years.
Ours was an arranged marriage as per the wishes of both the parents, but initiated no doubt by my sister. How on earth Mythili managed it? Only God & mythili know.

25 years later.
I am relaxing on the easy chair listening to some music.
Suddenly I hear our college going daughter shout from the street "Amma, Naan Coaching classukku poivittu varen(ANCCPV) -Mom, I am going to the coaching class.
Mythili shouts back "ok. Please be careful while riding scooty"
Our daughter shouts once again 'ANCCPV'.
"Why do you keep shouting from the street? Am I deaf?"Mythili retorts.
All this feel remotely familiar and I rush out.
By then, our daughter had already started her scooty and moved ahead fast.
I find five mobikes from different houses in the neighbourhood racing after the scooty.
Science might have advanced leaps and bounds. But, certain effective, time tested communication systems never change!
I am tempted to look at the house across the road for signs of any 'paavum' type boy seated by the window and staring at the speeding bikes.
Hope you understand.:rotfl
Cheers,
Anbudan,
Rrg/ 2nd Oct '14.

 

Dear Blissofmylife,
Thanks for your FB. Pleased to note you liked it.
cheers,
rrg

 

Thanks Sandhya.
The main purpose of my stories is to make the reader smile & relax. Presume you would have read my earlier ones as well.
cheers,
Rrg

 

Dear Vidhya,
Thanks.:bowdown
My purpose is served.
Cheers,
Rrg