Ode To Chennai

Chennai, probably the most talked about city in the recent times for all the wrong reasons. The City had housed me for the first two decades of my existence. We do not realise the value of something unless the threat of losing it seems imminent and impending.

The brave hearts of the city had literally lifted it in their hands and prevented it from getting submerged in the pounding and slamming rains. As someone who moved out of the state, I used to miss its people who are so full of emotions and I still remember the recent episode so vividly about a loquacious and garrulous auto driver literally waking up every person in the wee hours in the neighbourhood to check if that was the address I was looking for, the dark alleys and absence of name plates and number boards and my phones completely dead not helping our cause.

It was quarter to five in the morning and when I was wondering about my safety here was a man who was knocking the door of several strangers just to ensure that I was off loaded in the right house lest I be stranded in darkness. I couldn’t help but wonder about his patience and persistence. Knowing its people there was not much consternation felt by me.

I have now got used to seeing movies in multiplexes amidst stoic and passive silence. Been away from the City for more than twenty long years and sometimes used to miss all the warmth, and affection and the unsolicited advice which you get even from random by standers. So it is not surprising that people have taken to the streets with such zest and gusto not depending on the completely failed machinery of the state to wage a battle against the unprecedented rains. I am so proud of this City that educated me to face and take on this world. It made me the simple,no frills attached person that I am. Believe me the city you have been brought up leaves a lasting impact on you.

Yes it is not without its obnoxious politicians trying to swindle all that they could and not contributing an iota towards town planning and infrastructure. It has suffered untold misery in their hands but I am sure the benevolent inhabitants of the City are going to bring it back to its halcyon and tranquil days. Lessons are learnt the hard way by its loving citizens and have shown that even the nature at its beastly best will be fought with true grit and determination. Saluting all the people of Chennai for the phenomenal courage in rescuing their brethren while they had lost everything that ever belonged to them. Where else in the world could we have witnessed such altruism in epic proportions. March on Chennai. You would resurrect, revive and see better days and all of us would battle to save you from disasters both natural and unnatural.