In every family there will be a happy-go-lucky person who is a star attraction among the members. Arvind takes the cake in Samikutty Anna – nay, Meenakka; nay, both - family. I would leave to someone else to name the Mr Serious or stickler guy. I won’t; I wish to be hailed a nice guy.
Arvind spreads around a feel of happiness, joy and gaiety wherever he goes. If there is someone who can make the likes of Rasas and Manis laugh their lungs out, it is Arvind. A visit to a near or distant relative in any city that he happens to be in, is given. More than these, the mainstay of any of his visits is to capture the moments in snaps and share. Yes, one and only in the family. Kudos.
And so, when he telephoned from Ayodhya, “Chittappa Chitti, all of us are coming to your place on 30th for lunch, or dinner, as is convenient,” we were thrilled. “Any special dish you would prefer,” I quipped. “No, just leave it to Chitti. Make it simple. I know she is still on drops after cataract operation of both eyes.”
“Chittappa,” he added, “just possible we might bring Sreelatha’s parents also; they are likely to come to Bangalore to see us off to US”. “Most welcome,” I reassured. Yes, it was quite some time since I got a first-hand account from Ganapathy (Sreelatha’s father) the ‘treatment miracles’ of his touch-therapist in Coimbatore. According to him, the beneficiaries include one who got rid of his diabetes (read Ganapathy himself), another patient was able to move up and down in twenty minutes while still in his clinic, his right-foot thumb which had come to grinding halt since a few days. In another case... Well, any more of this would turn this piece into a narrative on Ganapathy rather than our protagonist Arvind.
“Chittappa, on way to Sobha Forestview shall I pick up something from Natraj Chole Bhature (of Pahar Ganj fame) from their JP Nagar outlet?” he quipped, never tired of trying out Chole Bhature from various sources (and rating them) – Evergreen, and Bengali Sweets in Delhi, from Sangam and Anands in Bangalore, and from Lucknow and Ayodhya during his recent trip to North. (No doubt, he spent some time with Kichanna Manni, Kannan and others)
“Arvind, I thought you were coming to our place to have lunch prepared by Chitti. Just drive straight to Sobha Forestview. Okay?” Yes, sometimes only sentences with a touch of command works with him.
We were delighted to see Sreelatha having near-fully recovered, and back with her infectious smile, Manni stayed above ground with joy having returned to India after months/years of stay in US for green-card processing. Both Darsh and Avyay, with their continued paavam looks, continued with their fulltime warfare – sometimes aiming pillow cushions, sometimes for supremacy for the remote control, sometimes trying to climb the balcony railing giving anxious moments to Sreelatha whom we thought was fully busy in the ladies’ group conversation. Yes, a mother’s eyes.
Manni took charge of Bhagavatam and Narayaneeyam for discussions - with Lalitha making unsuccessful bids to interrupt with her forays into them. Bhanu (Sreelatha’s mother) picked the thread from where Ganapathy had left (now on a short nap after an early morning train journey from Coimbatore) with the touch-therapist story. She herself was undergoing treatment for leg pain – with neither positive nor negative results. “But,” she added, “good, considering that in allopathy we end up paying for both doctor and medicine, here we don’t have to buy medicines.” A silver lining indeed.
It was time for snacks. Lalitha ordered online samosas and bread-pakodas (king size, a la Delhi style) which Zepto delivered even before she had switched off the mobile. She had opted for Cash on Delivery. Noted for future.
Oh, it was past 5.30, and it was drizzling as well. Fear engulfed that they should reach Brigade Gardenia before it turns into a downpour. Arvind ordered for an Innova which could accommodate all. As is wont, the allotted vehicle was different. Arvind and Sreelatha stayed back, sent the others, making sure Ganapathy has his purse to make payment. Arvind ordered another cab and the two left after a few minutes.
A little disappointed after a day of merriment, we returned to 3195 from Gate No. 3 – to be back to the usual grind.
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