Nungambakkam woes.


'பிராமணன் தன கடமையாகிய வேத அத்யயனத்தையும் கர்மானுஷ்டனத்தையும் விட்டான். ஊரை விட்டான், தனக்குரிய ஆசாரங்களை விட்டான். கிராப் வைத்து கொண்டான். சூட் போட்டு கொண்டான். வேத படிப்பை விட்டு வெள்ளைகாரனின் லௌகிகப் படிப்பில் போய் விழுந்தான்...'

Look at that girl manager at the vada pav stand in that petrol bunk. How old is she? I would say 14. She would say 20. Does she even know what a man's stare means? Will she naively trust everyone of them? She cannot even understand what trust is. She looks lost in this land of strange people and strange customs, which has been forced on her with callous disregard. 


இந்த்ரிய சௌகர்யத்திற்காக புதிய மேல்நாட்டு படிப்பு, சயின்ஸ், வாழ்கை முறை இவற்றில் போய் விழுந்தான்....


Let's focus our attention now to that khader nawaaz khan road. All swanky, upscale and glittering. Gloriously modern, with those beautiful neon lights and those lovely designer boutiques, with lights and air conditioners! Ah, where are we? Is this what utopia is? The west must be so impressive, that they have all these fancy clothes and jewels and watches and look! there are salons! They also have coffee shops! How beautiful they look from outside. We are truly progressing and we will continue to shun our age old beliefs until they have been completely forgotten, or have been replaced by the new age thoughts. From now on, do not frown upon pub culture. It is a glorious way of celebrating life. Bah, what will you know about it.


பிராமணன் மற்றவர்களோடு ஒட்டிபோகாமல் தான் ஏதோ உசத்தி என்று பெருமை கொண்டடி கொண்டான். ஆகாரம் வேறாக இருந்தால் பிரமனுக்கும் க்ஷத்ரியனுக்கும் த்வேஷம் என்று அர்த்தமாகுமா? 


Beggars. Menace, aren't they? Ah. How many more! How many people can we pay? Ask the government for facilities. Even if we pay you now, you will come back for more! We have our own problems. If that man doesn't get his new belt for the price of sum total of all your self-esteem, his boss will kick him out. Who will feed his family then? You, with your lost look and your no-place-to-live monologue?


Ah!


The little kids on the side walk. Why are they playing? Your mother and father are struggling. On the streets. And for no reason, they thought it would be a nice idea to bear two lovely little children to leave them on the sidewalk and let god take care of them. After all, what are traffic signals for? 
Karma. Sidhartha did the right thing. No wonder he found the human way of life disgusting.


Are you happy to be sitting in front of your computer, listening to your favorite song, eating your favorite paruppu usili and vendakka saambar? Do you count yourself lucky? No? You have been wronged? Your friend is richer? He has a fancy car? A beautiful bungalow? A lovely caring wife? You have what?
Nothing?
A roof over your head?
Daily meal? Thrice? Atleast twice?
Clothes? concerned parents? basic education? 


Ah. You have nothing, truly nothing. My sympathies.

ps:


I am ashamed of my obscene consumerism. One fine day, I went along to nungambakkam to buy my belt, and I was revolted by the thing this place has become, and the person that I have become. I am a heartless scoundrel.


The tamil portions are extracts from deivathin kural by chandrasekhara saraswati swamigal. I have lifted certain portions of the text, but not with the intent of obfuscating/misleading.


cheers, and god bless us. all.