Narayan’s Journal

My name is Veerasarai Surya Narayan. I am expecting my children for Pongal. This is the first time I have to worry about their arrival, stay etc. My wife Savitri was the one who was in-charge of these things. She used to call them every week, ask their well being; if they are eating right and if they are drinking 8 glasses of water every day. I don’t know why but she was peculiarly particular about the later. A few years ago I read an article that this 8 glasses of water every day thing is a myth but I didn’t dare to tell her that. She would have ignored me anyway. She passed away last year just after Pongal. And since then my kids have been asking me to come stay with them, but I could not push myself to do that. My wife and I started living in this town Srirangam after I retired 4 years ago. This was my parental village and I really like the simple life here.

Jan 12

My eldest daughter Sandhya arrived in the afternoon with her husband and two children. She lives in Mumbai and works as a professor in the mathematics department of a university where her husband is a professor in the department of psychology.

When It Rained

It was the month of July. Rain was no longer a guest now. Chai ka pyaala and pakodas with Geetmala on radio was a 4 o'clock scene in every household. "Maa I don't want to go to school in this rain", said Meena removing her school shoes. "I will start wearing my old shoes from tomorrow till the rains stop. You give me a letter writing the same to the PT teacher."

Rains have taken a toll on everyone not only Meena. Most of the daily activities have come to halt these days. Every thing rescheduled according to the rain, the whole routine changed. Madhavi does not mind doing it, as long as the rain sticks to that schedule. Continuous downpour has made her crippled. Their house no longer resembles their own, with wet clothes hanging everywhere and water lying on the floor even though Madhavi wipes it at the mere sight of it. The house now stinks of the smell that wet clothes give when not dried in sun. She has asked her maid not to come till the rains stop, not because it was difficult for her to walk 2 kilometres in the rain but because she used to dirty the house more with her wet soiled saree in the pretext of cleaning it. What should I prepare for tonight's dinner, the tarkari has not come today, thought she. "How would he even come when the water on the road does not let his cart enter the street?"