Tambram 3G

           When Mukundan and Vatsala were blessed with a baby boy in Triplicane, Chennai, many Iyengar mamas and mamis had come to attend the punyajanam function and blessed the child. He was given many names like Srinivasan, Ramanujan, Rangarajan but was fondly called Rishi.

Rishi grew up fast with paruppu mammu, Sathumudhu mammu, parupu usili, Puliyodharai, Akkara adisal, thachi mammu, mavadu, Idli, dosas, Adai, vadaams, etc and was his parent’s world. He was very intelligent in studies and obviously became a topper in his school. His poonal function went on well again with blessings from pancha kacham clad mamas and madisar clad mamis where Rishi exhibited his classical music expertise.

              He graduated from the Anna university with a BE in computer science and was dreaming to go to the Yoo YeS YAY, one day! Then came the opportunity to join one of the IT giants in Chennai itself and Rishi was little bored to stay in the same place. But the thought that his favorite home made food would not be missed gave him some peace. The initial 2 years were exciting, giving him loads of opportunities and he was selected by his manager to go the USA for an onsite assignment. His Visa was processed and Rishi was excited!

           The weekend before travel, he finished all the shopping with his proud parents. There were many phone calls from his relatives and friends to congratulate him and much time was spent on these calls.

The D-Day arrived. Mother Vatsala was crying at the airport and both father and son had to console her. Rishi reached California after his tiring flight and started enjoying the initial days. He missed home-made food badly and was adjusting with the podis, mom had packed for him. How much ever he tried, he couldn’t find a girl to live together.

2 years flew off and by now Rishi was given a promotion at work with more responsibilities. He had now less time to stay and cook at home and so had to manage with pizzas and burgers! Weekends would be quite boring getting up late, having some cereals, calling parents, chat with friends and having a late lunch and sometimes at a friend’s place to have lunch and dinner.

Rishi got bored with the American life and wanted to get married. He decided to come to India to get married. Mother was asking him his latest profile snaps, his choice of girls, etc.. Finally, Rishi and Shreya liked each other, thanks to skype and Whatsapp! It was decided that Rishi should come home for a 2 weeks vacation and should get married.

Parents got excited as their only son was getting married. All arrangements were made and everything went on well. After visits to Tirupathi and other temples, the newly-weds boarded the flight. The madisar and Veshtis were neatly packed too.

Another 2 years rolled by and it was time to welcome a new family member. First 6 months, Shreya’s parents were staying with them and next 6 months, the turn came for Rishi’s parents. Soon, Nikhil(Nick) came in to their world and life was busier with more responsibilities and less time for the family. Shreya too had started working and so after 6 months, Nick was sent to day care! Another year passed by and Nick now has a younger sister Divya (Div). Rishi had processed for the Green card and was successful at getting it too. It was Mukundan who had to tell all the stories from mythology and answer every question of Nick and Div.

Mukundan had taken VRS and now spends his time listening to Velukkudi Krishnan’s discourses and music concerts in the city. Their day starts with talking to Nick and Div on the webcam. Rishi wanted to pursue his dream MBA and couldn’t travel much to India.

After Dad’s demise, he forced mom to come and stay with him. Though Vatsala went there to satisfy his son and daughter-in-law, she couldn’t live in the American style of living for more than 2 months and so she came back to singara Chennai.

Both Nick and Div have grown up. They are doing their Graduate courses in different universities and visit parents twice in a year. Both got married there in America to Lisa and Rohit Kapoor respectively. 

Rishi now wonders whether his daughter will ever get a pattu pavaadai for her daughter or if Nick would let his son have the ear boring ceremony!