A Memorable conversation

Last evening, I had gone to pick up the violin artiste Shri. Shriramkumar - incidentally, it is the name got by putting my brother's and mine together - for the concert in the evening. Just as I reached his house by around 5:15, he was doing his aachamaneeyam, the last part of a Sandhyavandanam. (To all those people who don't know what aachamaneeyam is, it is supposed to be the mantra which helps you in purification. Whether it really helps or not is a matter which I don't want to delve into now). As soon as I saw this, I got a feeling this artiste was a typical orthodox Iyer following all the rituals systematically because Sandhyavandanam is supposed to be during the time of dusk or dawn and here is a man who is doing it at 5. He then invited me inside and asked me to take a seat. I just took a look around and found a lot of wall hangings, a number of them showing the awards that the artiste had won and a number of Gods' photos, a symbol of a typical orthodox family. And the walls were an eyesore amidst the beautiful photos. But I think that is the way a family with kids should like. The walls were full of pencil and crayon scribblings and one could barely recognise what could be the original colour of the wall.

Just as I was waiting for the artiste to get dressed up, I met this person who made those few minutes really memorable. He came up slowly to me and said, "sadaa chocolate daan (always with a chocolate)". The bright eyes, the naughtiness in his face and the way he said this to me really impressed me. Usually I don't approach kids and I keep mum, but this time I couldn't resist. I asked him what his name was and immediately came the reply, "Aditya". I then asked which class and in which school he was studying. He said that he was in LKG and studied in a school called ICK. Then there was no stopping this fellow. He was chattering all the way and I have never seen any kid who is so free with strangers. He came to me and asked me to type ICK on my mobile and confirmed what I had typed was the name of his school. He also told me that he was 4 years old and that his birthday was already over. I asked him when his birthday was to which he replied July 1st. I just went back in time and recollected how I was when I was 4-5 years old. I remember once when I was in UKG, I was so shy- a shyness that still I have not been able to get over - that I never distributed the sweets that I had taken on my birthday to school and took sweets back home and the following day, my mom had come with me to school and asked the teacher to make me distribute sweets. And here I find this kid who has such a level of confidence and no inhibitions whatsoever with strangers that any one would be attracted to him.

He then told me that the person who was sleeping on the sofa was his brother and gave details about him which I don't remember. Then he asked me, "unakku enna munnadiye theriyuma? (did you know me earlier?)" to which i answered "no". He then continued "annava? appava? ammava? thathava?" and a few other people and I kept answering "No". Then was this question which totally took me by surprise. "pinna yen inga vanda?"(Then why did you come here?). What a level of understanding the kid had! He probably thought that I knew some one in his house and hence had gone there. I was just thinking how to answer the question when his mother came and asked him to shut up and not to disturb me, as if I were disturbed. I just wished his mother had never come and he would continue talking something. Then he went inside and came out with a girl in school uniform who was about two years older than him. He even introduced this girl to me and told me that she was his cousin and that her name was Shubhalakshmi. He then came to me and told me,"ava innikku tennisukku pogala"(She didn't go to play tennis). I asked him why to which he replied,"paatha theriyala. innikku mazhai peyyaradu"(Don't you see. It is raining). Man, this kid was brilliant. Meanwhile his grandfather woke up from his afternoon nap and come out to the hall. I don't know from where this kid learnt the habit of introducing his people to others but one thing you don't find even elders doing. He told me that the person who came out was his thatha and said, "avarukku kaalla adipatturukku, adunaaladaan bandage pottirukkaa ( He has hurt himself in the leg and that is why they have put a bandage). Then he went inside while I was just recollecting the conversation with him.

A couple of minutes later he came out and told me that "naan ippo showerla kulikka poren. nee showerla kulicchirukkaya?"( Now i am going to take a shower. Have you taken a bath in a shower?) as he was gesturing to me how he would pour water all over his body and I realised he was referring to a hand shower to which I nodded. He left and a few minutes later his father, the artiste was ready and we were about to leave. He came running out nude and told me something which I didn't hear properly. As I saw him undressed, I just wished to be as shameless as he is and live a life of freedom, a freedom that the kid enjoyed. But from the present condition of introvertishness to a state of shamelessness is a long way. But if you have a fast transport, you can reach that condition very soon. And I know I have a fast medium but it is I who have to co-operate.