Flying Jesus

It was a balmy beautiful night. The sea breeze, salty and comforting, found paths through my hair. It tickled, it caressed. Beside me was mommy, cotton clad, serious faced. In front of me, many rows away, was the priest. Face lighted from below (the candle on the altar), scary! The place was Pondicherry, the location was the makeshift altar of the Pondicherry cathedral since, the original one, inside the church was being renovated like the rest of it.

To say that I was bored, would be an understatement. It was a Tamil mass and I was the English-speaking 'Cluny Convent' girl! Twice my mother had stopped me from making faces at the people behind me and once, she had to physically stop me from performing a few Bharatnatyam steps which seemed apt for the tunes belted out by the choir that night!

So, when mom cajoled me to keep the palms of my hands together, throughout the mass, like I was saying a permanent 'vanakkam', I exasperatedly asked her what all this drama was about and why there were streamers all over the place? That's when mom said, 'Its Easter tonight!'

Eat-her...East-her..Eas-ter. What was that?!?!?!?!?! (mommy)

If I were at home, I would have either gotten spanked for being a pain or would have been the poor audience of an hour long lecture on the origin and meaning of the word! But, thank heavens, I was in the outdoor church! Anyways, mom got a brainwave. She said, 'Oh, today is Jesus' Resurrection day' pregnant pause 'he is going to heaven tonight!'

For a six year old, I think my reaction was pretty mature. I just held my dropped jaw in place, stared at my mom real hard, tried not to let my voice tremble, while I mustered an awe struck 'REALLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYY?????!!!' And that night, while the whole church stood, sat, knelt, sat, stood, knelt in that and other order, I sat, with the back of my head, touching the base of my neck, waiting to see Jesus, clad in white, beard et al, holding a cross in his right hand and waving to me with his left!!

Needless to say, I was one disappointed child that Easter night, suddenly doubting if mom's theory about eating lots of lady's finger making me get first rank in Maths was as valid as Flying Jesus!!!

This Easter, however, this girl ain't looking for Jesus flying in the sky!! Because, she knows that God ain't 'out there', he's 'in here!'! And she also knows that, all she needs to do is look into the eyes of a baby, the splendor of a morning, the beauty of a rose, the love of a loved one, the forgiveness of a wrong and she'll find God right there!!

Happy Easter everyone!!

Words Worth

She doesn't know I am blogging about her! But she is just an arm's length away from me! She says she is watching Pride and Prejudice, but I know by instinct, that its Mr.Darcy she is after! I met her face to face after three years, though, when I saw her in the railway station it was like, meeting her in the recess after third period!

Daffy (Daffodil) and I became friends on the evening of the day, we both were going to be alone, away from our families for the first time in our lives, starting the super scary, super jolly college life. It struck me quite strong, to think that we've been friends for eight years now.

Eight years ago, on a similar night, we shared a similar room. She snored away to glory, while I slept the disturbed sleep of one haunted. I had a gut feeling that she would turn into a bat in the middle of the night!! And last night, we talked so much, throughout the night, that we went to bed at daybreak! No bat-turning-genius that girl!

College began, life went on. Ups, downs. We (she, me, Az, Gaay) even formed a band!! We called ourselves, The Rhythmic Technos!! I blush now. But then, we were fiercely proud of our acoustic and musical skills! She played the guitar, Az the harmonica, Gaay and I crooned!


It is said that it takes four years to form a friendship and then its for life. I am grateful for this girl who is staring at Mr.Darcy right now, who says she wants to learn how to cook from me...ME!! And when I do teach her, she ooohs and aaahs and says, Ash, kalakitta!!

As Elizabeth says, "I love you" to Mr. Darcy and I steal a look to see if her eyes are welling with tears, I ask her, "Do you like Mr. Darcy?" and she turns around, eyes aglow, face bright,(the light from the laptop!) all thirty two visible and gives me an affirmative nod!!

There are some people who just dont have to 'act their age' with you or you with them!!