Summers in Pondicherry

The tank on the terrace overflows

Water gushing with force

We push each other under the water

Taking turns for a shower

My dad joins us every time

His impish smile, intact .

 

The numerous evenings in the beach

Building sand castles

Each time the waves wash them away

We build one more

With renewed vigour

The journey complete 

Only after a generous helping of “manga sundal*

 

Some afternoon sessions

Are for dress-up games

We deck him up in a nightie**

And knot his hair on top

The big red dot on his forehead

For the finishing touch

Followed by a lavish spread of talcum 

What a sight!

 Buffoonery at its height.

 

The other afternoon sessions 

Are for comedies in the name of cleaning

Sweeping and mopping

Then comes the real icing on the cake

Water skating - yes

Block the water outlet, pour water on the floor

And slide on your stomach from one end to another

Thanks to barren rooms of our times

Uncluttered by fancy furniture

Now that my friend, is water skating for you.

 

Evening with chums, climbing trees 

And playing hide-and-seek

Till our mom dragged us home by our ears

After calling out for us, a hundred times

So she says, which we never happen to hear

 

 At bedtime, tucked into our cozy mats, our bellies filled

We doze off blissfully

With our minds filled

With stories of Krishna, Rama and Hanuman 

Regaled in the same order.

 

We eagerly await Sundays

For the honking of the van at eleven

On the dot, every week

To lay our hands on the shiny Tintin,

Famous Five and Archie's Comics

And not to forget the Amar Chitra Kathas

The Mobile Library

Now indelibly etched in my memory.

 

It feels like yesterday

Grey strands, are they?

That threatens to peek out every other day.

 

I watch my children, enjoying their summer

Glued to the computer all day

Their superheroes racing on motorcycles

Shooting the bad guys, putting out fires

And collecting trophies

 

Little did they know that Superheroes do not always come in capes

Mine came in a dhothi ***

Occasionally forced into nighties** too

Invisible to the world

Pedalling a cycle to office

Dropping my forgotten glasses at school on the way

Teaching me to ride a bicycle

Urging my dreams to touch the sky

Like the kites he trained me to fly

The director of my first cooking episode

 

I hear you asking what happened to the proverbial Wonderwoman

Well she often saved our days 

Clad in a sari, always

But hey, wait

This is not about her

She deserves a screen space

All to herself

You shall meet her

Another day!

Footnotes: 

* Manga Sundal: A spiced snack made with boiled peas and garnished with mangoes (manga in Tamil language)

**Nightie: A flowing full-length night dress worn my women

*** Dhothi: A loose piece of clothing wrapped around the waist and extending to cover most of the legs, typically worn by men