am becoming possessive

until I was 15 I had a perception that all villages had huge palatial houses. Cause that’s the way my native village and surrounding 95 villages called as chettinad (located in TN) were. Only when I started touring down south I realized what am gifted with. During my 1st level in alliance francais when I had to tell abt my preferences in French I said ‘j’aime village’ and students around laughed. That time I came to know not many had experienced these kinda villages. Abt 10 days before, after 6 yrs, I visited my native place along with my frd frm chandigarh. As we entered he c’d’nt believe his own eyes. cause even when half a km away frm chettinad, one can never imagine such huge houses exist in that surrounding. Moreover its the isolated narrow single roads leading to chettinad which begets that impression. Around 8 pm when we reached that area we had to wait for somebody to ask for directions for my place. U hardly get to find ppl there. Its always calm and peaceful. Finally we spotted an old lady who had a skin complexion which almost merged with the darkness. As she was telling us the directions my attention strayed towards her accent which just sounded like lullaby. I felt so ashamed to have forgotten that peculiar accent which belongs only to chettinad (its not the native accent used in films), the accent which blazes innocence, the accent which used to be my rhetoric during my childhood. As I was abt to tell my frd (who cannot understand tamil) that I c’d vouch for that lady just for that sweet singing accent, he gave me a shock by telling ‘don’t believe her. She looks like a ghost’. From then on I made it a point not to judge ne1 by their external appearance. After sometime we reached the bus stop which is the land mark to my place. Bus stop in the sense, a very secretive bus stop which only me and ppl living around know. No sign boards, no place to sit, nothin. Usually find max of 7 to 8 ppl there and 2, 3 shops around. Faces might differ everytime but no. remained same. Ever since my childhood I had been looking at that bus stop in the same condition. Every time I crossed that area I get mad at the govt representatives of that constituency for the lack of development. Used to wonder how the farmers and working class ppl manage during emergencies. But this time it was different. The no. of ppl were more than 50. I even found a medical store there. Raised my eyebrows and said ‘wow’. When I got outta my car to get a drink, what a surprise, I c’d get a 2 litre coke bottle. C’d see that the growth in IT reflects even in small villages. Thanks to the software industry for raising the living standards of my brother men. but while I was walking towards my car carrying things I got a little pissed. Felt like the place has become conjusted. After all am a normal human being. As I was used to the previous situation I c’d’nt digest a bit of this. even with just hardly 50 ppl around it seemed like a busy market. Next day I woke up very early to see the deserted dry land the red sand in day light. I just love the fragrance of the red sand especially during rainy season when it makes love with rain water. While we were out on foot I was totally devastated when I saw an auto going thru the silent lanes in this raw village. When I say devastated its no exaggeration at all. May be autos got in for election campaigning but I c’d’nt tolerate that. Is my place getting raped by strangers? am so afraid that the extant will become extinct. Just cant believe that am becoming possessive abt a place which is common to every1



thats my frd. he wanted me to get the full view of the house in the background but i c'd'nt

the house u see is my granddads. ppl with problem of walking in sleep permitted to stay there only if coupled with problem of swimming in sleep. cause pond in front of house


1 of the palatial houses

thats my frd again. btw thats a house behind and not a museum