Event-Full

Every year is special but some are more action packed like booster rockets to life. 1975 turned out to be one.

ours was a blue one

Father had got promoted and with it arrived the company car and telephone. The car was a good old Mark II Ambassador (Reg No.MDM 842) which arrived from Chennai along with chauffeur Thamburaj. It was a wonderful perk, a great status booster and made family experience so much more in times to come.

This was also the year when I got my first wings of freedom - my own Hero cycle. Though I could not take it to go to school which was far, once home , it was cycling everywhere. It had to be clean, the wheel rim polished & shining, the dark green colour and speckless. I had a set of sayings painted on the cross bars, chain guard etc like 'Honesty is the Best policy', 'love thy neighbour as thyself', God is great' etc. Where I could go was limited but it gave wings. It feels so good to cycle at full speed- let go the handle bar- fold or stretch your arms and just show off enjoying the air rushing past.  

not our original one

In earlier years got to do dances or group songs at school day but the first stage play happened this year - with me as Bassanio in the Merchant of Venice. The school founders grand daughter (not able to recollect her name) was Portia, Narayanan Shylock and Prabhat was Antonio. The arguments over the 'pound of flesh' with Shylock stroking the beard - was great Shakespeare stuff. It exposed us to the fact that you need to prepare to go on stage.

My brother Ram had a English teacher who coached them on their handwriting. The cursive style was so good that though we never got him to teach us, seeing my brother learn it made me adopt it - a slant to the right, cursive flow, styling of the p, q, f etc. and its impact remains especially in my signature. I, till date, rate Ram to have the best handwriting I have seen and he maintains it. Maybe  the Google era will soon erase handwriting and usher in a doodle era?! I will update this with the art of Ram's handwriting soon.

We had this art teacher Damodaran who taught fine arts and had this well maintained walrus mush. He also familiarised us through hobby classes, common types of pet fishes - the angels, Molly's , goldys, the Siamese fighters and we could also buy it from him. At home it took some convincing to have them as pets. A big glass jar was available and without other upfront costs of fish tank etc the first mini aquarium arrived. So with Tommy the dog came additional pet care. Changing water, feeding them and figuring their diet (vegetarian) was fun. And when occasionally one died , we had a formal burial service with the kids from neighbourhood participating. 

back then the quad was a no games area

This was also the year when my singing skills got rewarded. I earlier mentioned about this Sivaji film Thavaputhalvan. It has this song 'Isai Kettaal' - a Tansen type where Sivaji singing this song lights up lamps and redeems a princess from a illness. I sang it in the school contest - solo without any accompaniments. Prabhat and Surya said they noticed the Principal Mr.Michael Ponnusamy gesturing No.1 and I am winning but I didn't believe. Then they announced I win but only if I sing it once more. This with the entire school watching in the Quadrangle (pic), the first time for me in a music competition, was a great high. The song with rich classical overtones and a rhythmic crescendo is even today a very popular choice in TV singing shows like Super singer etc. Try this link to hear the original song Isai Kettal from Thavapudhalvan

Kalyana Samaiyal Sadam

Ravi (KT) my eldest cousin sister's son,  is my age and the two of us always buddies since we were toddlers. Ravi is a foodie. Any wedding in the family would have the two of us taste each meal, pass our expert comments, see the cook and at times go to the kitchen itself. If everything was to our liking we would sing this song from Maya Bazaar ' Kalyana Samaiyal Sadam' as our Master Chef rating right in the dining hall as everyone is eating. My cousin Chakkarai Anna got married in this period. He is a doctor and amongst the eldest in my generation. The wedding was a grand one at Chennai. The special was Badam Kheer and we almost got intoxicated having countless cups of it. Ravi may remember - "Haha Haha Haha!"

And this year had this epic film - Sholay released. While we had seen Hindi films earlier like Haati Mere Saathi, Aradhana, Bobby etc. we had this anti-hindi mindset, strong in the Tamilnadu then (we were forced to take Hindi as 3rd language from 4th to 6th Std) that Hindi Films were inferior to Tamil films. Sholay was a big hit and we got to see it in its early days at Delite Theatre near father's office where he could using his staff get some tickets which eventually turned out to be super extra tickets as the theatre was so full that we actually sat on the gallery steps and watched the movie. And Sholay being what it was changed at least the outlook that because you are anti something it need not be bad and Hindi movies became a part of regular choice thereon. Well back then movies were the only source of entertainment apart from stage plays.

A truly memorable year with so many fresh and impactful experiences, as I moved into double digits. There is this pic that I got courtesy my school friends. Prabhakar (who we called Lillee as he was our pace bowler) launched this in cyberspace, Raveendran updated me last week. The reality is we are still trying to place the names of all in the pic.. WIP. I am told this is from 1975 and in pic is the Principal Michale Ponnusamy (wearing a Tie) and our Class teacher Radhakrishnan (if my memory is right)

Class Photo at GRG School from 1975