Those days
every thing was ferried
even a motor vehicle
worked
like a ferry
It was just like the
river water boat
Goats, Cows
People
Vegetables, fruits
flowers
All travelled
in one
heap
Some privileged
managed
sitting
chairs
Others
just
squatted
Only the
privileged smoked
But,
brahmins
held
smoking
as an immoral
right
two were a married
couple
one coy
the other
stoic
The coy one
wasn't coy after all
she knew
her father owned
the Chevrolet
She also knew
her family owned
Dodge
was just
behind
All classy
polished teak wood
body
steel iron wheels
black rubber tyres
with brass plates
on the bonnet
Alas they were
all black
otherwise
Unlike her own
smooth, brown skin
She had big eyes
accentuated by
carbon wax
that she wore
thick
making her look
more mature
than her real age
her thin hands
unsucked lips
matchstick like
legs
gave away
the truth
she was just a
pre teen
child
It was her wedding
party
travelling
to her
new found man's
old village
Just beneath
the Nelliyambathi
mountian
range
Both the vans
were well
prepared
the booty
had
the crank shaft
20" jute ropes
big, wide
sheets
pulleys
and hooks
tools
to pull
the Dodge
the Chevrolet
from muddy
tropical roads
besides
Spare Exide
batteries
Bosch plugs
Big Gasoline
cans
and all
She came from
a family
that was inspiration
to many
People treated
her father
with the greatest
of reverence
Her forehead
was used
to being
addressed
as the daughter
of the
the respected
one
But they did
have their fall
they did
have their
struggles
Just outside
their
family mansion
as they roamed
half naked
Soon
she recovered
becoz
she even was
witness, when
a few family
elephants
assembled
all tusks
and ivory
bedecked
with plated
gold
on their foreheads
The mahouts
her family
mahouts
barked
and the elephants
responded
with full
throttle
when they
launched
Dunlop & Goodyear
tyres
just a few years
before her
marriage
Back in the
50's
She loved it
when it rained
her family jalopy
braved it all
It could get
heavy
real heavy
That's when the
hood used
to simply give up
Then
It was shrieks
all around
The driver
swerved
with the steering
hating nature
that tested
his supreme
driving skill
His hat
moustache
and his
cotton coat
too
surrendered
to the
monsoon
rage
With no
shelter around
He just had to
stop
flash floods
that could wash them
all away
were his worst fears
As he
watched
water
gushing
wind blowing
thunder
thundering
light, sound
thunder
Half closed eyes
braving the monsoon
rage
She watched
as Umbrellas
flew
Her expensive
wedding silk
was drenched
Her stoic
companion
now her husband
kept looking at her
but couldn't
speak much
his silken
wardrobe
milk white
skin
all
looked
wet and
emaciated
The wind
the rain
was howling
And people from the
village
who knew
them
from their
marriage
Smiled
from a distance
She sensed
her
man
didn't like it
one bit
As his family
and kin
cursed
an omen
she would
come to dread
the dread
of an
ancient Indian
bride
Sriram
Reminiscence : 1
every thing was ferried
even a motor vehicle
worked
like a ferry
It was just like the
river water boat
Goats, Cows
People
Vegetables, fruits
flowers
All travelled
in one
heap
Some privileged
managed
sitting
chairs
Others
just
squatted
Only the
privileged smoked
But,
brahmins
held
smoking
as an immoral
right
two were a married
couple
one coy
the other
stoic
The coy one
wasn't coy after all
she knew
her father owned
the Chevrolet
She also knew
her family owned
Dodge
was just
behind
All classy
polished teak wood
body
steel iron wheels
black rubber tyres
with brass plates
on the bonnet
Alas they were
all black
otherwise
Unlike her own
smooth, brown skin
She had big eyes
accentuated by
carbon wax
that she wore
thick
making her look
more mature
than her real age
her thin hands
unsucked lips
matchstick like
legs
gave away
the truth
she was just a
pre teen
child
It was her wedding
party
travelling
to her
new found man's
old village
Just beneath
the Nelliyambathi
mountian
range
Both the vans
were well
prepared
the booty
had
the crank shaft
20" jute ropes
big, wide
sheets
pulleys
and hooks
tools
to pull
the Dodge
the Chevrolet
from muddy
tropical roads
besides
Spare Exide
batteries
Bosch plugs
Big Gasoline
cans
and all
She came from
a family
that was inspiration
to many
People treated
her father
with the greatest
of reverence
Her forehead
was used
to being
addressed
as the daughter
of the
the respected
one
But they did
have their fall
they did
have their
struggles
Just outside
their
family mansion
as they roamed
half naked
Soon
she recovered
becoz
she even was
witness, when
a few family
elephants
assembled
all tusks
and ivory
bedecked
with plated
gold
on their foreheads
The mahouts
her family
mahouts
barked
and the elephants
responded
with full
throttle
when they
launched
Dunlop & Goodyear
tyres
just a few years
before her
marriage
Back in the
50's
She loved it
when it rained
her family jalopy
braved it all
It could get
heavy
real heavy
That's when the
hood used
to simply give up
Then
It was shrieks
all around
The driver
swerved
with the steering
hating nature
that tested
his supreme
driving skill
His hat
moustache
and his
cotton coat
too
surrendered
to the
monsoon
rage
With no
shelter around
He just had to
stop
flash floods
that could wash them
all away
were his worst fears
As he
watched
water
gushing
wind blowing
thunder
thundering
light, sound
thunder
Half closed eyes
braving the monsoon
rage
She watched
as Umbrellas
flew
Her expensive
wedding silk
was drenched
Her stoic
companion
now her husband
kept looking at her
but couldn't
speak much
his silken
wardrobe
milk white
skin
all
looked
wet and
emaciated
The wind
the rain
was howling
And people from the
village
who knew
them
from their
marriage
Smiled
from a distance
She sensed
her
man
didn't like it
one bit
As his family
and kin
cursed
an omen
she would
come to dread
the dread
of an
ancient Indian
bride
Sriram
Reminiscence : 1
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