Last evening we decided to return the visit of Vaidya and Shanti of Alder. They were the first to call on us after our first two-month trial stay in a retirement home in Coimbatore.
It had rained earlier, and the sky was still overcast. Regardless we made it. Vaidya prevailed he would walk up to Maple to accompany us to his home. I insisted that was not necessary as I do my morning and evening walks all by myself, aided by my walking stick. Fell into his deaf ears.
Shanti greeted us with her infectious smile - and so did a gentleman already there. Yes, he was Dr Dwaraknath, husband of Vasudha Sharma. “I have a nodding acquaintance with Vasudha ji, but did not have the pleasure of knowing you, sir,” I said as I shook hands with him. “Not surprised. I am a Cardiac surgeon stationed in Nellore, and visit here once a month,” he introduced himself. Soon Vasudha ji entered from her home next door. In the conversation it transpired that she was a dental surgeon, now enjoying being a homemaker. The chat got cut as Vasudha ji reminded her husband that she had come to remind him of their commitment to visit someone.
No sooner did the couple leave than enters another – in a one-at-a-time style. It was my friend, and Vaidya’s another neighbour, Venkatachalam mama holding a bag with contents. These days it is given that anyone coming with such a bag, is sure to be bringing mangoes plucked from his farm to share with friends. No, Venkatachalam mama was here with holy books for their weekly Rudram, Chamakam chant. I did not know this, until ten minutes later Vaidya got a call from Ramasubramaniam of Oak that he won’t be able to attend.
“Oh my God, I didn’t realize I am stalling a Rudram-Chamakam chant session. Please go ahead,” I said as I tried to get up. In a bid to prevent me Vaidya reassured me that it had never been a solitary chant session. It was always a chant, chat and coffee session combined, often the last two overtaking the first in length.
The ensuing conversation covered Tamil Nadu under Vijay, Karnataka under DKS and Amit Shah, the Chanakya of central politics, systematically paving the way for a two-thirds majority in Parliament to enact certain bills that the party had promised the electorate.
Soon Shanti emerged from the kitchen with steaming coffee and snacks. That helped the discussion scale greater heights. Realizing that it was getting darker and the sky was still cloudy, I tried to get up to leave, but in vain. Both Vaidya and Shanti persisted we stay for a little while – more so since it was my first casual visit to their home. We continued the conversation – this time Venkatachalam mama taking the floor with the various serials they watch starting from 7 pm stretching up to 9 pm. “We just completed watching Harlan Coben’s ‘I will Find you’. spread in eight episodes – captured in roller coaster speed, the kind of ‘one more episode before going to bed’ type. I had watched his earlier one also – Fool Me Once,” I gave my input. Vaidya clarified he was a sports enthusiast – cricket and football, and was waiting for the Knockout in World Cup football – telecast way past midnight regardless.
I complimented Shanti for decorating the living room with exquisite Tanjore paintings, all done by herself. “Of course, I am sure the Mona Lisa and the Ravi Varma paintings over there, are copies of original, not painted by you” I asked. “No way, I painted them,” she corrected me. I asked her if she could let me see her puja room of which I had heard a lot. She guided us and explained the significance of each item in detail.
“An evening well spent,” we thanked the Vaidyas as we took leave, not before Vaidya insisted, once again, on accompanying us back home. So nice of them.
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