दक्षिणी मराठी खजाना

The other day – a couple of months back, we were travelling in the car early in the morning to attend a wedding in a marriage hall on TTK Road. As we came out of Nanganallur on to GST Road I could see an auto going a small distance ahead of us with two small poles on top of the front side with ballons and festoons fluttering in between and two tricolour flags on either side with loud music clips. No other auto rickshaw was tagging along. I wondered as Srirangam (it was a bye election time there) was far away and why this sort of celebration in Chennai by this auto driver. As we overtook the auto I could see that the flags were not any party flag but our National Tri-colour with the Ashok Chakra in the middle. It took me some time to realise that it was Republic Day and that I missed attending the Association meeting to celebrate Republic Day and instead chose to attend the wedding which I could not give a miss.

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My memories went back to the fifties and sixties. On the Republic Day, Independence Day and Bapu’s birthday which had been declared as National Holidays, there would be celebration mood alround on the first two and prayers everywhere on Bapu’s birthday. Meetings would be held in Schools and Educational institutions which were very few in numbers and dignitaries would unfurl the national flag and deliver lectures commemorating the freedom struggle and single out leaders who fought for independence. Processions would be taken out. All shops would be closed including eateries.

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As usual my father would go to Tiruvarur and on such days I would not accompany him as Venkataramana Café on Ellaiyamman Koil Street in Vijayapuram would remain closed those three days. Whenever I was in Pallavapuram during vacation I used to accompany my father to Tiruvarur just for eating some snacks and coffee in Venkataramana Café, later on Vasan Café and Seetharama Vilas on Nagapattinam Road. I normally used to take Wheat Halwa with a few pieces of Kharaa Sev as Pakka Vadhyam (side dish) and strong coffee (even in my child hood – like father like son) but would never opt for Gulab Jamun. Gulab Jamun those days and in those parts of the State was not in the shape of a ball as is these days but would be in a shape instantly reminding me of going westwards in the villages in the mornings and the very sight of it would be sickening, as far as I was concerned. On the contrary wheat Halwa would be very tasty, very soft but one or two pieces would slip down the throat even before I could relish.

To come back to the National Holidays – the observance of Independence Day, Republic Day and Bapu’s birthday continued to enjoy popular support till the sixties whereafter slowly the national feeling diminished. On Bapu’s birthday, in our Elementary School students would be asked to bring a quantity of Pottukkadalai (bhune huwe chane ki dhaal), powdered Jaggery (Naattu Sakkarai or Vellach chakkarai), a couple of agar bathies, banana, etc. which would formally be offered to the photograph of Bapu and then distributed to the students whereafter the School would be closed for the day. Almost on all Fridays this would be done but School would continue to function. Mostly these items would be from our house only. 

Now these National Holidays are remembered only because they are Holidays for Educational Institutions, Government offices, etc., etc. and nobody even thinks about the sacrifices of our countrymen who laid down their lives in a bloody effort to obtain freedom for the country though ‘Ahimsa’ was also the word of the day. How many people lost their lives! How many people were butchered! How many were languishing in Jails! Now hardly anybody recognises the relentless march towards independence by hundreds of thousands of Indians. Now they just declare that all TASMAC shops would remain closed on these days! They announce it in advance so that people can buy in advance, store and consume it on such days! Shops continue to function and so are other business establishments. National fervour is missing.

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And here in Chennai I see an auto driver remembering the Republic Day and celebrating it! Hats off to him. 

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Tail Piece:- The marriage I attended went off well, the breakfast and lunch were super. I learnt the caterers were Bengaluru and had been arranged by the groom’s party from Bengaluru!.