Musing on past echoes ( This title is not final) Pondicherry (1970-1986)-03 Meeting Prapanchan - the writer It was during this period that I got introduced to the writer Prapanchan. I was a member of Roman Roland library in Pondicherry. It contained many rare books. It functioned in my bank’s neighborhood on Roman Roland road. That day the latest issue of ‘Aq’ (‘•’ a Tamil literary quarterly) had come and I left it at the entrance of the library and went in to borrow books. When I came back, somebody called me and introduced himself as, “My name is Vaithilingam. I write poetry in the pen name of ‘Prapancha Kavi’. I suppose this issue ‘Aq’ (•)’ is yours.”Later on our friendship grew. We met frequently at the beach and discussed literature until late into the night. He would come to my house. My wife and I enjoyed talking to him and felt that was time spent usefully. ‘Vannanilavan’, another writer lived in Pondicherry for about a year. During that period, both of them would come to my house and discuss literature till late in the night, sometimes going past midnight. Prapanchan would bring to our house writers living in Pondicherry as well as the visiting writers. We would also go and invite them. The list of writers who visited us was really long and included Asokamitran, Balakumaran, Pazamalai, Tanjai Prakash, Aswagosh, Indiran, Thirupur Krishnan and many others. In 1972 July a new literary magazine called ‘Vannangal’ began to be published from Pondicherry. That also carried my drawings. In Pondicherry, one needed a license to own bicycles. Once I got caught by a police constable during the night. As I did not have a proper license he was about to take me to the police station. On the way, when he learnt where I was working, he let me go after warning me to be careful. Once, my cycle got stolen in the bazaar. At that time Brinda had gone to Madras. I suffered mental agony for a few months. I was forced to walk everywhere. After some months I bought a new cycle by getting a bank loan. My father came to live with me for some time, but he didn’t stay even for a month. The reason was the comforts he was enjoying in my sister’s house. My mother also felt the same. There was no end to their talking constantly about all that they enjoyed at Krishnaveni’s house. Brinda’s parents also stayed with us for a few weeks during different period; they also had problems in staying with us. Darshan of Mother on 17-11-1973 While we were staying here, ‘Chithira Bharathi’ and K.V.R. came to Pondicherry in the early night on 16th November 1973. It was strange but true that Mother of Aurobindo Ashram attained Samadhi on 17-nov-1973. Without knowing that, we went to visit the ashram early in the morning. A long queue of people was standing there like statues with sad faces. I have never witnessed such a spectacle before. We joined the queue and when our turn came we saw the body of Mother decorated with flowers, we also showered flowers on the body said our prayers and came back. The shock of that event prevented us from doing anything else on that day. A son was born to us On June 5, 1976 a son was born to us when we lived in this house. Sambu Atthai was with us to help Brindha. Initially she got admitted in the Government Hospital as there were doctor friends. But the unhygienic conditions prevailing there made me to get her discharged and got admitted in Thayar hospital, run by Christian missionary. The impact of reading ‘Sivakamiyin Sabadam’ made me name him Satyashrayan. That was one of the titles of Chalukya king, Pulikesi- II. Once somebody stole all our vessels and utensils which were kept in the kitchen; we were then sleeping in the front room. While there, I suffered from hydrosol and it caused me heavy embarrassment. It got swollen so big as to be noticed by others. We decided not have any more children. So, I along with the hydrosol surgery had vasectomy. My mother was pestering us for owning a house. After much searching and trying to buy a built house as well, buying a plot of land for building a house also happened while I was here. During the year 1981 I took a bank loan and bought a steel almirah, plastic taped cot, four plastic taped chairs, radio (tape recorder and cassette player). That was the time we started listening to carnatic music eagerly. Masi Makam day That street took centre stage once a year. That was on Masi Makam day. The images of gods of all the temples in and around the town would be taken in procession through that street to the beach. After conducting ‘Teerthavari’- ceremonial bathing- there, they would be decorated and taken back through the same way with all fanfare and to the accompaniment of Tarai, Tappattai and Melam. Traveling through those streets would be difficult even on ordinary days, so, what to speak of festival occasions? We would enjoy watching the festival procession throughout the whole day from our upstairs perch. Friends would come to our house and there would be fun and merriment in the house with coffee and snacks being served to everybody. Lord Perumal coming from Gingee would attract special attention. The deity stayed for three days at the Varadharaja Perumal temple on Gandhi road. There would be a huge crowd of devotees and they would be treated to music concerts. The Nadaswaram concert which would start after midnight would go on till day break. (moving on)
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 11:57:11 +0000