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Saturday, March 9, 2013

The Summer Crown.


Middle East summer prevailed at its peak, and the timing was painfully wrong to land on international grounds for the first time in my life.  They said it was 46 degrees, but for me it felt like boiling point. The sun rays seemed to burn the skin and the eyes.  I held her close to myself knowing that people were staring. I held her gently.  I could hardly see much ahead of me, just shadows as they came nearer and fleeting assumptions of fast approaching people.

I held on to her expecting her to elevate me from the core of the volcano I was in, literally. Cars drove past like lightning and the friction the tires made with the road was deafening. I could almost see sparks being emitted. My chiffon dupatta was at the verge of catching fire. Hot winds blew against my face giving it a steam sauna. There was steam in my hair.

 I missed home.

I continued to walk. More and more people stared at me. Some of them whispered to each other and laughed. I knew they were amused that I was holding on to her like she was the Bible. I knew I was fiercely possessive about her and it showed in my eyes. I noticed the laughter aimed at me, but I vowed never to belittle my prized possession and vowed to carry her wherever I went.

Days passed and it took me immense strength to adapt to the new place. She was my only saving grace. I became famous for carrying her around all the time. To most people, I was a complete weirdo.

I braved a lot of criticisms and still carry her around. She shadowed me when I wanted her to. I did not even ask her for it. She canopied me giving me the calm, and the exclusive darkness I longed for. She hovered around me like a guardian angel.






She is my POPY umbrella. 

24 comments:

  1. One of your very good, nicely written blog, Anita (Anu). Send this to POPY guys of Kerala. Why not ?
    Papa

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    1. Thanks a lot Papa. Your comment means a lot to me :-)By the way I am not sending it to any umbrella makers !

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  2. Excellent!! Popy FTW!!!
    My first umbrella was popy but later on I switched sides and took a Johns!

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    1. Popy or Johns, I need one whenever I am outside ! :-)

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  3. This is a very good post. :-) Loved it!

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  4. Nicely written Anita. Even in Dubai you can see only mallu or philipina girls carrying Umbrella. And if you see a girl carrying black or blue umbrella, you can be sure she is a malayali girl. We cannot handle the UAE heat without our umbrellas :)
    Seena

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    1. Thats what. Why dont the others believe in the concept of an umbrella? May be they have too much faith in sunscreen lotions hahah!

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  5. :P Spoken like a true blue 'Mallu' (I don't like the word and as a rule, don't use it but it rhymes here :P)

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  6. Me too ! Same pinch ! Mine is maroon..whats yours?

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  7. Nice...I was wondering what it was:-). I have a black umbrella too and use it everywhere...the H finds it a 'naanakaedde';-D

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    1. Yes same here. He thinks that umbrella is not MANLY. Can you imagine.

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  8. MAZHA VANNA POPPY KUDA...DAKINAKIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
    HAHAHAH actually its the guardian angel whole year around.

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    1. Poppy is the new addition to Manglish - because for us Mallus, umbrella = popy !

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  9. I have heard of the cruel climate in the Middle east. I think Popy is a famous brand. Realized it after going through the comments :)

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    1. Guess this post was more Mallu than any other. Yes middle east is mallu land and climate us cruel in summer. That is precisely four months. But rest of the time it is either pleasant or cold so we are more or less on a compromise in that ;-)

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  10. This was awesome Anita! You know, I normally don;t watch Malayalam serials / news channels. And when there's a break during movies, I surf other channels. But this is the only jingle that I will never forget - "Mazha mazha kuda kuda mazhavannal Poppy kuda!" :D

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    1. Yes that one is the gangnam style of our times ! :D

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