SandBox

The vast expanse of the beach lay before him like the open world that waited for him to challenge himself. But he wouldn’t budge from his squatting position in the middle. He picked up a handful of sand and held it in front of his eyes, the hand over his knees. He gently closed his fist tighter, the nails biting into the sand, and as they escaped his possessive fingers, his palm. He wondered why.

He tried everything he could. He caught the free flowing sand in his other hand and tried the same. The hand was slowly getting dispossessed every time. He took some water and poured all over it. Now he could shape and mold the sand as he wanted. None of the cast he made was impressive. The fun of the free flowing sand was lost on these shape shifting figures. It was not lovable anymore.

He decided to leave the sand to itself. The impatience was not going to pay off. Not trying hard this time, he let it fall from his hand. This is probably the right thing, he thought to himself. The little that stayed back in his hand, was lovable, priceless and secured. His sandbox.

A School to Cherish

Sometime during my vacation back home last december, I came across this small kid somewhere, who asked me, ” Do you know what PSBBSSS stands for?” And before I could answer, he blurted out, ” Pattani Sundal Bonda Bhajji Suda Suda Sambar.” I was tempted to ask,” Dei, ennake va”? (Look, who you are talking to!)

I was fortunate enough to complete whole of my schooling here and I cherished every moment spent inside the campus in both T.P road and Main school. I remember every little experience I’ve had, right from the day I joined, the days dad used to drop me and mom used to pick me up till the days I started going to school driving my mom's scooty,the Annual Day celebrations in Kamaraj Memorial Hall, the PTA meetings, story and poem reciting competitions, the prayers, the cycle tests and the name of every teacher who has taught me. It is the place in which i made friends for life. 

Growing up in PSBB was a wonderful experience. People in my family and close friends always had high regards for kids from PSBB. I don’t know where that came from but I guess it just grew on everyone. One of my uncles went to PSBB when it was begun and the classrooms were literally huts. There was never a dull moment in this school. I’ve seen my cousins in a different school, and I can state with assurance it was not the same. It was more of a joy ride for me.

As time passed and by the time I came to main school, I started hearing from many people about how PSBB is not the same anymore. It lost it’s “charm”. They couldn’t be more wrong. It’s not that PSBB lost all it’s charm. It’s only the fact that many more schools have come about in this period and have tried to reach the standards set by PSBB and they almost did. PSBB will remain PSBB. It was never about only the education. There is a brand name associated with students that come out of PSBB which I’ve not experienced or witnessed with any other school. They are always a class apart and you can single them out from a crowd. I am probably totally biased here but am also blatantly truthful. I’ve seen many people till date and I keep seeing them every passing day. There have been several moments of ” You are PSBB? No wonder!” 

I can never forget my school days in my life and i can never stop missing them !

An ode to A.R.Rahman

Men of very few words are either geniuses that let their work do the talking or mavericks upto some crime or the other. Fortunately, we in India, have seen the former ones more often than not. There are only two names that spell inspiration and joy to India in the last two decades. One is Sachin Tendulkar. The other is A.R Rahman.

After listening to the songs from Delhi 6, I remarked to my friend who was enjoying the beautiful way Arziyan was sung, that this piece of music is something much better than what he might just end up winning an Academy award for the next day. It was true. The music of Delhi 6 reminds you of Rahman of Roja, Thiruda Thiruda, Duet and other such prodigious territories. Not that he ever went out of form. Still, tonight, we witnessed the boy from Madras receive not one but two Oscars for music, that despite being far from his best, brought him that recognition, he truly deserved.

It rightly celebrates the man for his big heart and even bigger talent for constantly churning out remarkable notes. A friend once remarked how Rahman uses classical raagas in their most pristine form. An example being Hai Rama from Rangeela, which is supposed to be PanthuvarAli without even one swaram added or subtracted. Such is his devotion and passion towards music.

It has been an exhilarating journey since 1991-92 and it promises so much more after tonight. From the song that went “Tamizha Tamizha, Naalai Nam Naale” to an Oscar acceptance speech ending with “Ellan Pugazhum Iraivanukkey” and a dance number that spells out Jai Ho on the stage of Kodak Theater, he has done it all. Clearly, this was not a requirement. He doesn’t need this to be called the best composer of recent times from India, but he did it anyway. And for that, every soul that is moved by the flute piece in the middle of Kadhal Rojave, will be thankful.