Ram Navami

Nothing much this year. Reminiscences from last years.

The day was 29th March 2k7.Tripped onto a local train from Mulund to Thane. Met friend at station. Had superb mixed fruit juice opposite this tuition centre building (was it Mahesh Tutorials??). Walked down to Talopaali lake chatting all the while. Wanted to go boating, but was refused. Next time, he said.

Observed that the tongas had metamorphosed to chariots – literally, with the ill-fed, bony ponies now replaced by milky white horses with feathers on head and all – was all of 4 years old- remember holding onto dear life onto the steel bar in the tilted, tiny carriage of the Thane tonga

Walked down Panch Pakhaadi, Teen Petrol Bunk; chatter-banter-chatter – he met his teacher a Tam Bram lady – how one can make them out . To Ghantali temple then. The temple front portion had been eaten up by the widened road. The old bungalow in front had been pulled down, given way to to spanking new flats. The temple was still the same The Pandava-Kaurava-temple flowering tree was still there – remember Mum regaling us with tales of her childhood out there – the flower with its 5 petals (the Pandavas), the many pollened stamens (Kauravas) the singular pistil with the stigma at the middle (the Temple) – sweet tale that one Powerful place that Ghantali – granted what I asked for that day, with a vengeance

Stepped into Naturals – delicious coconut ice cream- takes the shine away from that Baskin Robbins, he said pointing diagonally opposite the road. Walk, walk walk to his place. Please don’t mind the the place is quite small, he said. Have been to smaller places, said I as we vaulted up the steps. Had a cracking time talking to aunty;rocking on their cane swing and being fed puri bhaji and kheer; went through old albums, nudged and poked at them all. Let’s drop you back to station, he said. Ended up dropping me all the way back home.

Nice day, that