A RELAXED TRIP TO CHENNAI

Meeting old friends, making new friends.

As I came out of the Coimbatore Airport yesterday ( 30th March) afternoon, after a relaxed 25-day trip to Chennai, a hot blast of air hit me, unlike the pleasant weather that greeted me when I stepped out of the Chennai airport on 6th March. I was lucky that I experienced pleasant weather right through my stay in Chennai. I had gone primarily to sign a Release Deed in connection with the redevelopment of my Home in Sastri Nagar. While the date for signing the Deed was getting delayed, I took the opportunity to stay for a few days with my sister at Asiana Shubham, daughter, brother and finally in my own home with my son`s family. I must thank all of them for looking after me well during my stay.

The long stay also allowed me to attend meetings of many institutions with which I was associated in Chennai - Tamil Puthaga Nanbargal, 41 Club, Rotary Club of Madras South, Sharan group of senior citizens, ending up with a meeting on 29th March, at Tag Centre, where my friend S.R.Madhu made an excellent Video presentation on Asha Bhonsle. While staying in Adyar, I also visited Bessy, where I met my walking friends- both the larger Elliot group with families and the smaller Elite group, which meets for a cup of coffee after the walk. I also met a couple of my schoolmates based in Chennai and visited Rally Point, a sports complex, a dream project of Bina Boaz, a Past President of the Rotary Club of Madras South, where I was a member for 47 years. The trip gave me a chance to meet all my old friends and go down memory lane with some of them, justifying my long stay in Chennai this time.

Among the many events I attended, I would like to single out the following for special mention: The first event was the 5th Birthday celebration of my granddaughter, Bakthi Balaji, at the Madras Boat Club on 7th March. She was so delighted to see me that she went around telling everyone that “Rajan Thatha has come to Chennai to specially attend my birthday”. The second event was the dinner meet of the Tamil Puthga Nanbargal, at the Madras Boat Club on 8th March. Attendees were Mr & Mrs J Bhaskaran, A doctor cum writer, Mrs Girija Raghavan, editor of Ladies Special magazine and Bombay Kannan, a legend in the world of Tamil audio books, plus the Team behind the Tamil Puthaga Nanbargal -R.T.Chari of Tag group, Kizhambur, editor of Kalaimagal magazine, and Ravi Tamilvanan, Director of Manimekalai Prasuram, and I. It was a pleasant evening. I was also delighted to attend the 108th episode of `Kalangalil Avan Vasantham` based on the songs of Kannadasan, hosted by the multitalented Isaikavi Ramanan at Vani Mahal. The programme is so popular that the hall was packed half an hour before the meeting started. I am a fan of Ramanan.

The last nine days I spent in my own house were memorable for two reasons- the good time I had with my grandchildren, Thavam and Bakthi. It was a pleasure watching them indulge in so many creative activities. Bakthi was particularly charming with her endearing and caring ways to make me happy. While she has started learning dance and music, Thavam ( 8 years) is learning to play the keyboard, besides attending tennis class. I must compliment my daughter-in-law, Tulse, for the time she is spending with the children to keep them busy with creative activities. She is supported in her challenging job by my son, Balaji and her parents, Naresh and Nandhini. The children are lucky that they have their maternal grandparents to not only keep pace with their energies but also teach them values. God bless them all.

The second reason is the realisation that this was probably the last time I stayed in my own house before it goes under the bulldozer in a couple of months. What were my feelings? More about it in a post which I intend to write closer to the date when I have to say goodbye to my dream home of 44 years.

After a lot of suspense, I signed the Deed at the Registrar`s office on 27th March and returned to Coimbatore, which received me with a warm (hot) welcome. Looking forward to my daily routine at Nana Nani and enjoying the company of my friends here

A new short story from me

  Since the publication of my book ` A Difficult Choice`- a collection of 15 short stories by me  published in 2017,​ I had not written a short story for a long while. That spell was broken when I tried my hand at writing a short story in Tamil after several decades. Titled, ​`Anmaneya Kadhal ( Platonic love), it was published in a recent issue of Malar Vanam, a monthly e-magazine in Tamil edited by Ramki aka K.R.Ramakrishnan. I am now happy to report that my new short story in English, titled ` Solitude by design`, has been published in the March 26  issue of Mixed Bag, another monthly e-magazine in English published by Ramki.

​I was inspired to write this story based on the life of a resident in a ​Senior ​Citizen ​Home, who has two wives and families, and yet has chosen to live alone in a Senior Citizen Home. I must state that this is not his life story but a fiction based on the idea of a man with two families choosing to live alone in a SCH.

                         

          Solitude by Design- An independent life without responsibilities.

 

Raman , a widower  was staying in  a well known senior citizen community  in Chennai . The facility had  a dining hall  where many residents would come to partake their meals three times a day, providing an opportunity for the residents to make  new  friends. Oneday  he met Rajendran, a newcomer to the community. He was surprised to learn  that Rajendran had moved into the community in spite of having two families- through two wives. One staying in Chennai and another in Coimbatore.

Having two wives and still staying in a senior citizen home alone? Raman  decided to probe Rajendran  who was more than willing to share his interesting life story.

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Rajendran`s  father was a school teacher in a government school and they lived  in a  modest home in Saidapet.   Only child to his parents he grew up to be a handsome young man. After school he got admission  in the prestigious Engineering college in Chennai.  After getting a degree,  he joined a well known  automotive company as a management trainee. Since he was doing well in his job, his parents decided to get him married to a distant relative , 20 years old Sita, when  he was only 25.

She  was  not a graduate and  turned out to be an introvert who preferred to stay back and build a beautiful home,  contrary to Rajendran`s  penchant for social life. The couple was blessed with a boy and a girl within five years of the marriage and his wife got deeply involved with the children. Though she was a good homemaker. Rajendran realized that Sita was not the dream girl that he wanted  to marry.

 It was almost 10 years after  his marriage, his company decided to post him to Coimbatore,  as Manager in charge of a new project that the company was setting up in that city. Sita decided to stay back in Chennai with the children as she  was not sure of managing the household by her self in Coimbatore in the absence of Rajendran who would be away on tour, 20 days a month.  Besides she was confident of getting her parents`support  in Chennai .

In Coimbatore,  Rajendran  started missing his family and particularly his wife who knew how to make him happy whenever he visited Chennai to meet the family.

Rajendran  started feeling miserable. His secretary Neela, a 25-year-old single woman staying in a Ladies Hostel, was an understanding soul. Whenever she found Rajendran  in a disturbed mood , she would encourage him to talk about his problems and offered him whatever solace she could.  

 Rajendran was greatly touched by her compassion and understanding.  She was truly the dream girl that  he  would have liked to marry. She  was willing to lend more than her shoulder to help Rajendran  face his hopeless situation. Though they were discreet in their relationship during office hours, they decided to meet every Saturday afternoon at a nearby resort hotel to spend the weekend.

These secret outings resulted in Neela becoming pregnant. After one rendezvous, lying exhausted in bed, Neela spoke to Rajendran,  “Raja, I went to a Gynaecologist yesterday since I missed my periods. She confirmed that I am two months pregnant “

 Rajendran  who was on Cloud Nine after a hectic session, landed on Earth with a thud.

“Will you marry me Raja, to give legitimacy to my child… our child?”  Rajendran  did not know how to react. “Are you sure… we have been taking precautions… I mean...” He was fumbling for words. Yet he said, “Leave the problem to me, Neela, I will find a solution.” He did not have to find a solution because of what Rajendran`s wife told  him during his next visit to his home in Chennai,  after  the rumour about  his affair had reached her.

Rajendran went about his chores for the day and anxiously  waited for the night when he would be alone with his wife. The night came and when the door of the bedroom was closed, his wife resisted him trying to embrace her. She got out of his clutches and sat on the bed and asked him to sit next to her.

She said, “I have come to know about your affair with your secretary. I am not upset. I am happy that you have found someone who loves you and makes you happy in every way. I will have no objection if you take her as  your second wife.”

Rajendran was shocked. She continued, “ But I have one request. While you are welcome to visit this home whenever you want, You must not force me to satisfy your physical  needs. I am tired and am unable to cope up with your demands. I have done my job of producing two lovely children for you. I will do my best to bring them up well so that you feel proud of them” So saying she broke down. Hugging him tightly she started crying.  For the first time  in their married life Rajendran  did not force himself on her .

 

“ So you decided to take Neela as your second wife?”quipped, Raman.

“ Yes, with Sita`s  permission I married Neela and set up my second home in  Coimbatore. I have a girl through Neela . She is a management graduate,  who owns a private company.  Neela helps her running it.  Sita  is also happy staying with her daughter in Chennai looking after my grandchildren. My son is in USA with a multinational company, doing very well.  I found that  neither my services nor advice are  required by both my families. Besides I find that if I stay with one family, the other family gets upset. So I decided to   move into this senior citizen home to lead an independent life without responsibilities”

What he said next floored Raman. “ You know I did not have to feel guilty about having two wives.  My grandfather had three wives.  My father had two wives. When his first wife could not bear him a child,  he married her younger sister- my mother.  I am their only child` so saying he broke into his trade mark throaty laughter.