IRON MAN - 1

This element finds its importance in diverse fields. But let us first acknowledge Robert Downey Jr. for taking it on a world tour. Although I do not know anything beyond Tony Stark, it being the 26th element in the periodic table and it also being an integral part of my diet (Oh I just finished making dosas from a freshly seasoned Cast Iron Tawa), I want to take this opportunity to thank some Iron MEN and WOMEN in my life.

Any Guesses?

Wiping out the obvious answers, here I am, unfolding the fresh and crisp shirt straight out of the coal filled oven for all of you. No name board, no waiting area, no water dispensers for clients, a one of a kind memory. Presenting to you all, The Real Iron MEN and WOMEN.               

                       'The Isthriwallahs' 

Image Source : https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-indian-using-iron-filled-with-hot-charcoal-to-press-clothes-hand-coloured-57313996.html

I want to admit that I do not enjoy pressing clothes. It being an emergency, I would succumb to a bedsheet base and an Iron Box or even better, place the kurta under the bed overnight. This is my tolerance towards pressing clothes. This, coming from a performer having to iron costumes regularly might be an eyebrow raise.

My mother loves pressing clothes and does it diligently to date. We have never had an ironing board at home and never felt the need to. It was always bedspreads or some of mom's sarees that she anyway wanted to press later which became the base for our school uniforms to be pressed. I never went into the skeletal study of laundering until I attained puberty at 11. 

Every middle-class household had an emergency 'Isthriwallah' to go to. I would like to first introduce you all to Mr. Maruthi in this list of Iron Heroes and Heroines I want to bring to all of you. My essential need for pressing clothes was for my Dance Costumes which just could not find its presence on stage without being softened and stiffened with utmost care. I ran to Mr.Maruthi to press my frilly dance costume and forgot to mention some key pointers only to find my broad fan(one of the parts of the costume) ironed flat. I then sat and explained the way to do it because I really wanted to pass this on to someone who is better at it! I also thought I'll make life easier for my other dancer friends by introducing Mr.Maruthi to them. Thus began our friendship. He has always been there. Be it an hour before my train or my performance. Mutual FAN-Club!

 MR.MARUTHI AT WORK

Of course, our friendship didn't stick to only Dance Costumes and other garments, Amma and I invited him to my wedding and he was so happy. 

The world's really made up of such people, relationships and moments I reckon. He couldn't make it to the wedding and I went to meet him few weeks later when I had come to Bangalore. I had already moved to Chennai by then. I handed him my wedding thaamboolam. It really wasn't a bye. It never can be. I was 'pressed' for words.

P.S: His quaint and efficient shop is opposite Canara Bank, Yediyur Branch(Near Avrekalu Circle)

LOST AND FOUND SERIES

PART 1

Lost and Found went to the same school. They were from a small town near Kottayam, Kerala. Lost found love in Found. Found found her presence in his life very enriching. Lost kept wondering as to why she fell in love with Found as they walked every day to school. It was a good 10km walk every morning and evening. They never lost track of time and found themselves being punctual children amidst their other friends. They sipped tea on their way back home and found Thomas Chaettan’s chaaya to be the best throat quencher even in the sweltering summer of Kerala. Their childhood love had a strong foothold in their lives. They had their paths and dreams sketched out very clearly. All of 10 and they found themselves not amidst the school toppers but as highly articulative and bold individuals.

Image Source: https://m.fellowes.com/us/en/resources/creativity/ideacenter/printables/school/organization/signs/lost-and-found-poster

Lost wanted to pursue forensics as her major subject when she grew up. She found the subject so empowering that she sneaked into the school’s library to catch hold of a copy of a book that was mentioned in the radio when Inspector Mandaakini addressed the state about a recent mishap at the Trivandrum railway station. The case was solved because of how forensics had its nail fixed intact. She asked found if he found the book he was looking for. Yes, he had sneaked in with her! He said he was lost in her thoughts and forgot the book’s name. She read from the book to found every evening on their way back home. Lost and Found’s parents knew about their love and let them be, as they believed in them. Sounds beautiful right? That’s a real-world anyway. Lost and Found were very routine driven and had their daily schedules sorted. Like I said earlier, they weren’t school toppers but absolutely unabashed in their quest in knowing everything they involved themselves in.

Found wanted to go study in Delhi and got through IIT’s entrance exam. Lost found her way to Delhi too eventually to be studying at LNF National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Sciences. They met during the weekends and made love. They were hopeless romantics who were waiting to make love in a place far away from home. Delhi made them look at life in a wholesome manner. They found themselves lost in the city’s beauty but Kottayam always had a part of them, however far they intended to move.

Lost and Found sent a letter to their parents who were both single right now. Lost lost her father and found, his mother. They wrote about their wish to have a registered marriage in Delhi and didn’t want their parents to spend a fortune on it which they would have if they had gotten married back home. 

Lost and Found took a bus to Manali for their honeymoon. They didn’t look at this as their first trip together. But it had its special place in their lives. The bus stopped for lunch at a Dhabha and Lost went a few steps away to find a place to answer nature’s call. She didn’t return for long. Found was lost and went in search of her. The bus wanted to leave. He didn’t pay heed. He ran to find Lost. He tripped over a gadget in a hurry and it didn’t stop beeping. He picked it in his hand and ran. He finally spotted Lost in between some trees in a forest. The gadget didn’t stop beeping. Lost held a similar gadget in her hand. They looked at each other and had no clue about what was in their hands that just wouldn’t stop beeping. They were frustrated and put the gadgets on the ground to ask them to shut up and it said its last words. “GPS POWERING OFF”. Lost and Found found what was lost in the case they were handling as interns under Inspector Mandaakini. They finally saw something that they had only heard of. They picked up the gadgets and tried switching them on. To their good fortune, they did. Their honeymoon was after all an official one!

They realised the power of being LOST and FOUND. 

'You don’t find the need to be FOUND unless LOST'

Illustration: Rohit Bhasi 

TIME SET FOR A HEADSET

As Bharatanatyam dancers, owning this piece of jewellery is a dream for some, an achievement for some, a far fetched reality for some and a prized possession for some. Across age, experience and fetish lies this piece of jewellery's travel itinerary. 

My first association with this beauty was when my teacher called me and gave a set of extra jewellery that she had. As a 10-year-old it was undoubtedly me in a candy store. I would prefer a sports shop though :D

My second encounter was when my teacher, who is a total empath and a giver, sensed that I couldn't buy one and gifted me, what is called an 'original temple headset. A senior student of hers had an extra set of the Headset, Suryan and Chandran-The sun and The moon (other parts that come with the headset)and gave it to her to be given to me. I used to be amused that Days and Nights and their representatives are on my head. Oh, Lord! A big responsibility at this age!

Foraying into full-time dancing, I realised that most of my savings went into procuring jewellery and make-up for dance. No regrets back then! I finally bought a headset that I still own which I will eventually pass on just like how my teacher did. I Spent 16,000 rupees in doing that and paid it in instalments to a kind seller from a small town in Tamizh Naadu.

We all have stories that we cling to just like we do to memories associated with them. Some share, some bury.  

As I sat down one afternoon, a few days ago, I wondered what is a headset's philosophical presence in this colourful world it exists in?

The image above that I illustrated came as a thought to me. On the one hand, the self-luminous sun is the ray of hope and joy to the young and energetic. When young, our actions, reactions, sensitivities, goals matter so much and we record everything, perhaps mindlessly even. But that's just us. No complaints.  However, we never stare straight into the sun. We never look inside for we are subconsciously afraid that we may be blinded. 

Contrast this with the moon which is so beautiful on the other side. The greys are almost leaving way for the clarity of white to take over. Our eyes instinctively open wide to look inside and we are left with awe and wonder.

As they say, experience in any field is like a bottle of wine. It takes time to enjoy it but it is worth the wait. The headset to me is a time-check between two worlds that each of us will eventually be a part of. Worlds that are connected by a strong learning curve.  Just like the curve of the headset itself. Firmly tied yet bends as it sits just right on the head. 

A division of sorts. Division of ideas, thoughts and actions.

Well, yeah.  The headset is indeed more than what meets the eye (and perhaps the head too!)

Image Source : Pinterest

Krishna and Woh Saat Din

KRISHNA AND WOH SAAT DIN

My first role on stage in a Dance-Drama was that of a Cow. And I thoroughly enjoyed being one. As a 9-year-old, I was only asked to frantically run around the stage shaking my head. I felt I had those horns every time I ran and was scared that I would hit someone in the rush. So I had this clever plan of having my own little gala time amidst the chaos. Come on, we were lots of cows, children, Gopas, Gopis running around anyway. I never thought that my teacher would notice me amidst this mayhem. But she did! She went on to tell the whole class that I was the best cow she had seen till date. *covers face*

Two decades later, after many versions of the same story, through different songs, I found myself back in the same episode. This time as Krishna. Not dancing at a rehearsal or on stage, but at a friend's portico taking shelter when Bangalore had it's heavy monsoon showers. I wondered the plight of this young boy. Getting wet in the heavy splashes of rain for 7 days and nights. I remembered the pose we were taught to depict this episode(lifting of the Govardhana Hill) and it instantly hit me.

KRISHNA IN TIMES OF HIS NEED

Poor thing, getting wet in the rain and not being able to pee. The idea for the image came to me when I went back to the mudra we used to hold for the pose, the humble pinky finger :D

All's well that ends well. In my monsoon clad evening, I could not help but imagine Krishna, post 7 days and nights, running to a nearby bush.