People 9 : Rain and the Junction
Relentless downpour. A major junction. Clogging slurry of (auto) motives.
Rain lashes from the sides of the Auto rickshaw.
Everyone wants to reach there as soon as possible. Wherever their ‘there’ might be.
Chilly winds bite the bone. Radios tune in to the myriad frequencies. Some invisible DJ conjures a concoction of FM waves.
Rap interludes from the auto-drivers, fluent in their curses.
“Poi Tholailangalenda, evlo neram than manushan ingaye ninnu saavarthu” (Why cant you fellows get going, how long can a man die waiting here…)
An assorted spread of choice Chennai swear words follows.*
“Intha car kaara naainga nalla ulla okanthutu nagara matenranunga. Oru aathra avasaram na ingaye Samadhi aaga vendiyathuthan…” ( These dogs , sitting inside the car , high and dry, don’t move … Even if a man is in an emergency, he might as well dig his grave here..)**
“Yov, Poi tholayenya..” , (Hey, get going), directed at the fish-cart (tricycle) in front.
Dripping wet, he was religiously wrenching his torn lungi dry. A snugly fitting polythene carry bag formed his head gear. The boy ‘manning’ the fish-cart replied, “Iru pa, konja nerathula clear agidum” (Wait, It will get cleared in a while).
And the RJ babbled, “Mazhai na excite agathavangale iruka mudiyathunga…..” ( There can’t be anyone who is not excited by the rain… )
*: With all due respects to the passenger ‘madam’, of course.
**: Was born again, each time a ‘car-kaara’ dog tried to overtake the auto.
