Memoirs !

           The words were banging in my ears. I tried hard to sleep, in-spite of the memories playing a parade in my mind. I pulled on the bed sheet and closed my eyes firmly. After long years I prayed hard for a deep sleep apart from the usual nightmares and disturbing thoughts.

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            The morning welcomed me with dizziness.  I tried to get up from the bed and failed blatantly.I felt the mind and body getting weaker and weaker. I saw her standing infront of me, enquiring If I was okay. The wine red colour of her salwar kinda pierced my eyes. With the maximum of efforts,I tried to open my eyes. Apart from my efforts, the lights played a bokeh effect and she seemed to vanish away from sight, as if surrounded by a mist. And in a minute I felt the inability to relate to the world.  Sounds were still heard, But I found it hard to respond. Gradually I slipped into a deep slumber.

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           The hot coffee and the dosai was refreshing. Her lively chatter added that pinch of life to my evening. It was nearly four. My fragile body had stabbed my seemingly fragile mind. With a smile she told ''You have been asleep the whole day.'' Yes. I was. Though I couldn't recollect and relate much to that, I knew it, as a matter of fact. My swollen face and eyes supported what she told. I literally skimmed through the newspaper while sipping the coffee. The deaths, the politics, nothing seemed to be worth of reading. She was still blabbering something on the way  the people around made a fuss over the crackers being burst yesterday. Suddeenly my eyes got locked to a headline. Thrikkettapurappadu at poornathrayeesan temple. The temple at my home town where it was the utsava time. With a riverie I realised It was my pirannal day.I was born on the day of the ustavakodiyettam at the temple which made all my pirannals much grander all these years.May be very few of my friends knew about my pirannal. It was always a much personal celebration. I never got those midnight calls or long distant wishes on my pirannal day. But it was always been special just because of the way it was celebrated. I Sighed deeply. A pirannal day without those forced temple visits, Ammas home made payasams and the fragrance of newly stitched pattupavadas. My heart ached. Life was much easier those days.Much simpler. And here I am now surrounded by the four walls of the hostel room, much away from my family, living with utter strangers, who in a way, have become much vital and helpful for my existance. Well change is always the way of Life. I sighed again.

           Noticing my change of mood, she stopped her blatant talk and readily enquired, "Whats on the paper? You okay?" I smiled at her and retorted, " Its my Birthday today ! "

She sat astonished by the way I sounded. I smiled at her again and turned back to the newspaper, my eyes vehemently searching for another piece of news that could carry myself away.