farms and dreams

Couple o' years back,i had gone to Sriperumbudur, which is near Chennai. Its a beautiful place. Full of lush green fields, lots of trees-covering both sides of the road, cows and goats grazing lazily in the fields, farmers working on their crops, women balancing the sheaf of paddy and sugarcanes on their head, a lovely cool breeze that makes our heart feel elated.. a beauty!

We had gone there to meet our grandmother's friend. They lived in a huge farmhouse there. It was really amazing to be in that atmosphere, far away from pollution, traffic and noise! We were to stay there for the night. For sometime i sat with my grandma's friend, who was 80+ listening in awe to her amazing fables. She then talked about the farm and also about the silk factory they
owned.

Later i took the oppurtunity to explore the place.I decided to make my first visit to the silk factory. It wasn't exactly a factory, but more of an old house converted factory. Some 10 people were hard at work transforming the silk to sarees. The entire sight gave a shimmering look! I got some royal treatment there. I told them i wanted to try weaving. Soon i was actually weaving the silk threads myself! Feeling very happy i came out to explore the vast fields. I stood for sometime inhaling the beauty of nature and then i was in for some work..! I wanted to have a go at ploughing the field. The farmers said it wasn't a great idea and that i wouldn't have enough energy to lead the cows to plough the fields. But after my success at silk weaving i was adament and the poor farmers fearing the wrath of my host, let me lead one handle of the cows. I courageously stepped into the marshy area to pull the cows. I pulled with all force and they wouldn't budge. I tried 2 more times and the cows had enough of me. They suddenly turned back with a jerk and i lost balance and fell into the muddy waters. I looked a sight when i managed to get out from the mess. It was 10 minutes walk to the farmhouse and people on the way turned twice to see my disastrous visage!

I had a good wash and decided to end my adventures for the day and sat in the cosy hall of the old farm house.I saw TV for sometime and got bored. Everybody had left to visit some more neighbours. I went to the backyard and saw lots of seed packets.I decided to do
some gardening. It was almost dark but my enthusiasm didn't fade. I started to sow the seeds. I was so involved in it that i failed to notice i was nearing some prickly lemon trees. I totally got entangled in it and got scratched all over my face and hands. With great difficulty i managed to escape the clutch of the trees. Sigh! Another disaster.!

The next day was thankfully good. I had a good time building a bird table and feeding the birds, preparing some pongal with the farmers (it was during pongal yah!) and had fun playing with the kids around. when it was time to leave, there was heaviness in my heart.

It was such an amazing experience that everytime i pass a farmhouse, i remember my stay over Sriperumbudur. I hope i get to visit the place soon!

Drama all the way!!!

I had always wanted to blog this for quite some time.. and here it is!

The train of memories rewinds to second year, second sem (2'2). I distinctly remember this happened at VKD's, Intro to sys class. I quite forgot what class we had before IntroSys, but never mind! The story starts after that..!

So sometime in 2006..just before drifting to the sleepy mist of the IntroSys class, Sherin, Anandi and myself made our way to the IC to grab a cuppa elachi tea to beckon our conscience that had gone to sleep peacefully.. (nop.. i still don't remember what class was there before VKD's that had rocked us to sleep).. And just before we left, the delicious smell of fresh samosas magnetized us to the counter again. We got one each and it was then we realized that we were already late to the class by 10 mins. But our hearts wouldn't let us abondon the half savoured samosas.. So a brilliant idea struck us. To smuggle the samosas to the class well hidden in Sherin's jean pockets.

Poor gal! The samosas were not only oily but very hot too!! I should ask her if it left a scar on her..! On the way to the class which was at A block, Sherin even found time to propose to ..ahem.. her guy. (Yah! it was valentine's day!)

We raced to the class and i am surprised that VKD did not see the conspicuous samosa bulge in her jean..! The rarefied air conditioned atmosphere made the samosas quite.. or should i say, Sherin quite and then she soon drifted off to sleep. (I know, unlike her).. She only woke up to the calls of VKD after sometime...!

Truly a dramatic day to remember!!