Colour full

Pongal-O-Pongal.

Pongal. It's one jolly holiday. Four days of r&r.

Pongal. It's one jolly holiday. For most people. I had to spend a greater part of it boxed up in a studio, twiddling my thumbs, picking my nails, counting the number of holes in a square foot of soundproofing.

Pongal. It's a day of paying homage to all your hard work and the environment that supports it. So, perversely, I spent my jollydays at the studio. At work. But, I suppose it's the least i could do for all the support I've been getting from there - My way of paying homage.

But I had my moments.

Pongal. Ah, the food.

Pongal. And the colours. Colours everywhere. Both expected and some pleasantly surprising. It's what I love most about Madras. There's so much colour everywhere...and on everyone. And the January sun. It bathes everything in brilliance. Nature's high saturation mood. Yellow. Sun. *smiling*

Pongal. And traditional art. And this citybitty's rendition of it.



Pongal and Kaanum Pongal. At the Chennai Trade fair. Thousands, each draped in yards of blindingly colourful synthetic fabric decked disproportionately with shiny sequins; Accompanied by husbands ranging from uncaring, to tiresome, to drunk, to chivalrous, to overly possessive; Burdened with tiny limbed bundles. Or just boys. And men, who will never be titled gentle. Lecherous, horny younguns who can't really help what their hormones are doing to their disposition; Though being more subtle would have made life more pleasant for the shy, overprotected girls walking with their mothers' aged in-laws. What's a holiday without some madness? Family. friendship. And carnival joy. More Madness. And the rush for the rides. And riding the rides. And screaming. Loud. Without having to conjure explanation. Loved it all.




Pongal. And chilling with someone who loves colour, madness and simple life just as much as you do.

Pongal. It's about thanking Providence. For being able to reap far more than that which was sown. My day is a good example. I was just saving a cloud. And here's what Providence gifted me.




Pongal. Oh, Pongal.