ROUTINE, this is a word that each living being is stuck with, no matter who he is or what he does. A millionaire is stuck in his routine of making millions while a poor man in his routine of probably slogging somewhere or the easiest option begging. Having noticed keenly, the two extremes including all the middle men (mainly us) have this unavoidable “Routine”. So was I, stuck in this very similar routine. Lectures dragging along from 9-5, the same old assignments, 75% attendance (rumour has it, it is going to be 90% soon) including the mess food timings. While amidst all this and beginning to get really frustrated, there popped out a plan... Chennai.
Pongal was a festival I had been hearing since my childhood from some other friends but never knew some years down the line it would be a delight. I with 3 more friends came up with an impromptu plan to head to the prior Madras. The plan was fuelled further, thanks to Pongal being the festival of the two, involved in this plan. The day dawned and we were off. Away for a good four days, away from all the lectures, the rules, away from SIMC.
The 1st glimpse I caught was a board on the Chennai station called “Welcome to Chennai” I did not miss capturing that moment in my digicam. One rude shock was the temperature there. Now staying in Bangalore which does not cross 24 degrees even in the hottest hour, your homeostasis gets used to it. But the temperature there was unexpected. I have been living in Mumbai my whole life and am very familiar to the “heat” but this was I can assure more than that. The 2 pull overs I was wearing came off in 2 seconds.
The same day was Pongal so we indulged in a couple of bowls of the delicious Pongal (a sweet dish) prepared in the homes of my friends. The day ended with a trip to a resplendent temple there sprawling over a large area.
Our second day started with 3 Idiots, a 7:45 a.m. show in a multiplex there where they serve mouth watering butter popcorn. The coming 3 days flew by as well as it included visits to very reasonably priced shops (I shopped for a good thousand bucks, no kidding), a mall called city centre (where you would get the best chocolate milk shake ever tasted, and this unheard mocktail (7 up+an entire orange+ an entire lemon). How could I miss mentioning our visit to the beach. Besant Nagar beach, extremely clean very unlike the beaches I am used to seeing, being in Mumbai. I came across a lot of incidents there, some very funny, some being the opposite. To name a funny one, a gigantic paper dosa was attacked by the four of us and vanished in precisely 3 minutes because there was a bus to catch.
Finally today I am back to my much awaited and missed SIMC (duhhh) and writing this post reminiscing over all the crazy things we did there. A much needed change that was and believe you me, I am planning the next one already!!
