This is a ‘mandapam’, as called in Tamil territory ! Found in the middle of what once used to be the Vaigai river. Its still called the Vaigai river. Its but a pale stream of a river. With only the river bed, odd plants, dhobis and sand thieves to show.
Most of the water is held up in dams upstream. A population lives of it. The river seems to grin and bear.
But right there, right in the middle of what was once a river, there is this structure. Pillars. Steps. Floor and roof.
“A flowing river, a gentle breeze and a cleaner air, all provide the ideal batter for simple wonderful conversations. Right there in the middle of the mandapam !” Those were a great grandmothers words. Many years ago.
Today, it seems empty. Not many go there. At least not for conversations ! Perhaps http://www.eta-i.org/sildenafil.html because, the river flows occasionally.
The mind wonders if this place doesn’t miss conversations ? Well, but who doesn’t ?
In times when conversations happen only through chat windows, scraps, comments and text messages, who has time for plain old conversation ?
Tweet me. Scrap me. Text me. DM me. Ping me. Mail me. Those resonate well with the modern day world. But ‘Speak to me’ ?!?! hmm !
Mandapams like this still stand holding evidence of conversations, the plain old way. Taking the mind to a different time. When one human being could connect to another. By sitting down and chatting up !
I am an old fashioned chap you see, and it could sure sound queer, but would you mind if i can talk to you without having to use my fingers ?
Old people are/were visionary And new they cant even watch near too well. All I can say: Open a cyber cafe there or a small club to play carrom/chess And may be it will work again.
The ‘mandapam’, ‘thinnai’, ‘aala maram’ have all beard witness to conversations and gossips. I still recall when ladies use to sit around chewing betel nuts and leaves and talking, chatting in a relaxed way.
As you say, no one wants to have a face-to-face conversations. No time!! You know the funny thing that happens in software companies? People sitting next to each other converse through chats and phone calls, instead of just turning the face 180 degrees and talking!!!
A colleague of mine was so engrossed in work that he was trying to call himself!!! 🙂
talk to you? anytime..I will surely be waiting for that day 🙂
we are so used to these social networking sites that people whom I used to call up everyday; now I write on their wall..that personalized touch is missing completely..
well said brother, even i miss the conversations. the world is not just getting smaller, but it’s become a lot quieter as well.
anyways, its been a while. so how have you been?
You have just said it…. ‘would you mind if i can talk to you without having to use my fingers’.
It irks me when the first thing people ask me after five minutes of conversation is ‘are you on facebook?’. We have 500 friends on facebook, and yet not a handful to share an intimate conversation.
You know, it is not surprising that people who actually have been my friends for more than 5 years are the people who I converse with.. the old fashioned way.
I was there the last two days. hopefully they should restore vaigai. the authorities on the course of dredging the whole river course running through the city. will know when the dam opens during the chitrai festival. Hmmm. there use to be days where we had floods in the river every year.
Last line : Great idea to talk with all the blogger friends without using fingers! 🙂
A flowing river
by a Mandapam,
a warm floor
cooled by a
gentle breeze;
And the kanjeevarams
and cottons
mingle
with the sounds
of music
performed by
those
whom the Gods like…..
The river too
would
wait to hear,
and bubble
and swirl with mirth,
carrying secrets to the
next town
on its schedule….
Today
only dearth remains;
dearth of flow,
dearth of voice,
dearth of mirth,
and
dearth of time,
as Gods own,
sit with a laptop
on an eroded bank,
tapping conversations,
that fly
high above the Mandapams
cocking a snook
at the
empty
hard
geriatric floors,
which earlier
had eyes and ears,
but now ,
have only
intuition left….
It is beautiful.. 100 years down the line the next generation may talk nostalgically about cyber cafes and cafeterias .. who knows? everything moves on ..
Is there time for people to sit and converse these days, and does conversation get importance in growing technology and easy way of communication? Words have become short as well the communication and connection.
This is a fabulous post, the picture just jumped off the screen and rekindled memories from years forgotten. A mansoon day, drenched to the skin,a friend’s borrowed bicycle by the side,sitting in the middle of a similar mandapam in a large teppakulam which would have heard numerous conversations, through the generations, some good some bad, some happy some sad.
Men do come and go, some may never get to take the same path twice. I guess its time to pack the bags again.
Certainly something to reflect upon, Kavi!
The picture is lovely.
Nice picture . Even our ancestral home had a mandapam in the courtyard, where we would all sit and chat in the evenings when the weather cooled down and many marriages were performed there too.
The mandapams offer shade and sanctuary to people from all walks of life. Peace has its own cadences, and the desultory conversation is animated from time-to-time by the musical ringing of the temple-bells and the prayer-chants of the devotees.
Hobo : Cyber cafe ? in the middle of the river..well, you sure must have some imagination hobo !
Insignia : Dont even remind me of the thinnai and aala maram ! I have very fond memories of this time too ! What can we do, when we rely on so much of technology to communicate to each other when all that we need to do is to just talk !?! 🙂
Neha :
🙂 Watiting for that day !!?! Come on !
Yes, writing on each others wall is just about as close we get to anybody’s heart ! The modern day world understands that very well and hearts warm up too. times are changing Arent they ?!
Nachi : I have been good brother ! How have you been ? Such silences even while speakinng with the fingers… 🙂 Missed your voice !
Sweta : Oh that proverbial question !?! I ask if they must write on my wall !?!? 🙂 Its difficult to establish connect on the net, although i have made quite a few friends over here as well ! But then, conversations must not be relegated to the keyboard ! In this time and age thats not a wise thing to say ! But then, the heart yearns for one !
Prabu : Authorities ! Some times one wonders who is the real authority !! The man in charge of the dam or the man in charge of rain !
Glad to note that you were there. Trust you had loads of fun !
Chandrika : Yes ! Maybe you should drop in for one of our blog meets !
Ugich Konitari : I think this is one of the best that i have read from you ! My eyes are wet reading this and have done so many times over ! Lovely.
Geratric floors devoid of voice with dearth couring through them ! Lovely !
Aativas : Cyber Cafes and cafeterias ! Yes ! Who knows !
Jeevan : Everthing has become short Jeevan ! Everything ! All of us are in a hurry to get somewhere !
Macha : We all have such memories Macha ! All of us ! Teppakulam is still etched as clearl in my mind as this place !
Perhaps its time to pack bags and come back ! Perhaps its been a long time since we caught up !
Manju : Thank you Manju !
Radha : You had an acestral home mandapam ! Thats neat ! Wonder how many memories that mandapam holds ! Perhaps a picture and post would help us all relive those times !
Sucharita : Well said ! Peace has its own cadence and desultory conversation is animated from time to time !
Lovely !
whats DM me?? I can never get this lingo right.. I would just love to walk across the street to a neighbour’s house unannounced and have a nice talk over chai and bhajji.. but these days you have to plan even this type of visit weeks ahead, are we so busy or are we just hiding?
Conversations galore!. How we enjoyed – liitle bothered about the endless information that is thrown at us thro’ media. Those were rich conversations – and no stings attached that flowed from the heart.