[Snweyuag]

Being in a holiday mood in the country of my birth I woke up a little later than usual. The Deccan Chronicle was pushed through the gap at the bottom of the hotel room door. Having a printed version of the real newspaper in my hands after a very long time I found it was easier reading the real printed-paper than the online version on my laptop’s small screen.

Headline: CM goes extra mile. Looking at the picture I felt that reporter R. Bhagwan Singh failed to go that extra mile to describe that CM was saying it all with flowers and that she greeted someone whom she did not get along well with and an extra smile on her face. It is no secret that CM is going those extra miles for good governance that is evident in her recent bold decisions. I hope Prime Minister will now grant her the Aladdin’s lamp.

After breakfast I got on the street to find my favorite mode of transport in Chennai – The Auto Rickshaw.

I stopped the first that came by and asked what the fare would be to take me to Express Avenue. The price he mentioned meant that I did not look like a Chennaiwallah. As usual he started with the heavy traffic he has to go through and the may others standard excuses to justify the demand for higher fares. I let him go away.

I stopped a second and 80, - Rs. seemed a reasonable fare to EA. On the way he stopped several times in the middle of heavy traffic. Every one driving whether it is a car, motorcycle, scooter or the auto rickshaws seemed to be in some kind of a struggle and hurry to get to their destinations. Each one of them was trying to be ahead of the other.

However, in this தொட்டும் தொடாமல், பட்டும் படாமல் போஹும் traffic, I rarely found people getting into any angry situations as a result. They all looked as though it was all very normal and kept their nose in front and their cool on their way to wherever they were going.

I noticed several shabby looking structures of Coffee, Chaya and fruit vendors for whom the business was as usual, demand and supply on the way to work. Many neatly dressed men in long sleeved shirts and trousers were standing in front of these pavement kiosks some eating some holding glasses of coffee or whatever. Life was unique and different in Chennai and happenings I missed seeing and needed to relive whenever time permitted.

Walking in for the first time into EA I found it was slightly different to its older relative the Spencer Plaza. Everything looked well planned clean and plenty of shops with foreign names, Marks & Spencer, Mother Care, Espirit, Timberland, French connection and the like reminded me of Oxford Street in London. After nearly three hours of walking and feeling hungry we went up to the floor where the food court was.

My wife pulling my hand brought to my attention a familiar face. It was unmistakably Vijay Amirtharaj who was seated in one of the food places alone and very casually dressed. I have never met him in person. I have seen him on TV as Live Commentator to Wimbledon tournaments for years hundreds of times.

I vaguely remember him playing against Jimmy Connors years ago in Wimbledon. But that’s different to seeing him face to face in real life. He was very friendly and easy mannered in real life as well, as I have always known him to be on TV.

So I called out to him loud “Vijay” from behind a barrier. He got up and walked up to us. I said to him that this was the first I see him in Live meaning in real life. Held out my hand to take his saying “Nice to meet you” and after a few more niceties we left on our way to find food through large crowds in the food court.

Finally getting there after standing in one of the many long queues I could not decide what I really wanted. Being pushed by the people behind me I said, “Give me something”. He promptly said that they don’t sell anything called something and pointed the board behind him. Well! I was not that impressed with what I chose but that was the only chance I was afforded.

It was now time answer an urgent call of nature. Walked into the Men’s. Watching many men dressed in trousers coming out from the individual cubicles and others waiting I had to take my turn. Walking into the first available I noticed that the seat had not been lifted before urinating and as a result there were drops of yellowish urine all around the seat. Reluctant to lift the seat with my hand I was somewhat disappointed about such abuse of a public toilet without any consideration for others who would follow to use it.

I walked out more disappointed to learn that 5 or 6 more cubicles were in the same state and finally decided to get back to the hotel ending my visit to the EA. Anna over to you, please make it part of Lokpal.

Photograph by Rajpriya