Madras - Marina Memoirs

Madras and Marina …these two words have always been fascinating through out my life… mebbe it’s just because one’s hometown is always special or simply because and they have never lost their charm…Every time, I get back home… I make it a point to go the Marina…(it really feels proud to say it’s the second longest beach in the world) …And as ever… this time was yet another memorable evening at the Marina…

Just the four of us, mom, dad, me and my lil brother...set off in our car… My brother’s long time dream to drive the car finally came true…. It was a fantastic drive, with HH and LL’s (the colonial cousins) Melodious score in the background and our sweet little nothing chitchats on the foreground…

Yipppie…we reached Marina…I really thanked the rain God, for having mercy on us… It had rained that afternoon, leaving the evening to be really pleasant and cool. Just setting my foot on the sand made me feel so refreshing…and we set off towards the water…watching those kites, those shooting the balloons, frisbies flying here and there…breathing fresh air, enjoying the chilly breeze…

I bet… we can never get this kind of a pleasure at the pubs or shopping malls or theatres or recreation clubs or even the so called amusement parks…

We then sat down and our chats continued in the sands of marina… with me relishing the one and only pattani sundal with a generous spread of maangai topping… By the time I finished this, there came our man with the pink color panju mittai (cotton candy)… how could I miss that??

Eh…what’s the fun, if you don’t get yourself and your clothes wet in those salty waters… That’s any kid’s favorite…so is mine… holding on to dad’s caring hands (just incase u slip…dad’s there to pull you back) and watching those waves … merely closing your eyes and hearing them come closer…Somehow… it makes one forget all the worries…and its truly truly truly entrancing…

As it started growing darker, dad had to set his timer on… to get back to the sand… And I kept on saying… only till thaaaaaat wave came down… thaaaats the laaaaaast wave… last 2 minutes… just last two minutes, for nearly 15 minutes… but only till I saw the sonpapdi man coming near mom…(another type of white cotton candy)… Then I had to rush, else I would have missed on my favorite...

Then we walked back to the car park… but how could one miss the pineapple and maangai pieces, with that lil sprinkle of salt and pepper… and of course the Bhel poori and Paani poori… those poor vendors also have to be benefited!!… Atlast... even the meal I skipped to enjoy these little wonders... dint matter :-)

Finally as I bid my adieu to the Marina… dad got me the best ice-cream….the grape kuchi ice …and then I got back to the car licking my kuchi ice and was really happy that the color had stayed on my tongue for sometime... And off we set …for our drive back home…

It was a totally relaxing and refreshing evening…cherishing moments on our way back.... now the background score was by ARR (Thendrale, Thendrale mella nee veesu )… this was not all…the best part was….I was lying on mom’s shoulders and was just tossing off… when I heard mom say…. "Idhukku kalyaana vayasu aayiduthu, innum ippdi china kozhandaiya irukku…” and I sprang up to say… “Mom, I am still a kid”… and that left all of us with a smile on our faces…

Miss you Marina…!!!