A day in the life of LIFE

I have been keeping you updated about my house shifting plans and finally after intense combing opetations like Walter Devaram of the STF, we zeroed in on a cozy comfy place,after rejecting many that were no better than 'kabootar khanas' [the small openings in old houses where pigeons live].

Friday was the day of the grand shifting and we were as geared up as Ronaldihno's free kick. After burning the midnight oil on Thursday for packing stuff, I woke up at 5 a.m. since the purohitar was to perform pooja at the new dwelling at 6 a.m. sharp.It's interesting to note that, Gauraw with his Hindi and The priest with his tamizh had actually managed to draw out a list of items needed. Things were about to be bungled when Gauraw's "Grihapravesham" was mis understood as "Giripravesham" based on which he was directed to the nearby "Senthil Tours and travels" who organize daily trips to the Annamalai Hills.

With Vermillion smeared on my forehead and a leaky kerosene stove on my kinetic [for conducting the milk boiling ritual], I thundered down the streets of T Nagar, with speeds 1/2500 that of Street Hawk. I was clinging onto my dhoti like dear life, lest I incur the wrath of the moral police who would have imagined that I trying to grab the attention of the damsels with vulgarity.

Nevertheless, the dhoti was important in portraying a clean and 'goody goody' image [Not that we aren't :(chuckle*)]of us in front of our new owner, a style also flaunted by our Hon. Finance Minister Mr. P Chidambaram and Ambi in the movie Anniyan.

A lot of paraphernalia for the pooja were already deposited with the owner who stays two floors below us. Despite this, we had missed out on a few vital components like match boxes,the holy bell, Mango leaves etc.

For an outsider, we were performing so many rituals that we almost appeared as a family that was shifting as against 4 bachelors from the movie 'Satte pe Satta'.

Now came the most daring acts of all. Reader discretion solicited. Clearing the mess that had accumulated over the past two years in the various shelves of the cupboard, kitchen and shoe racks was going to be an arduous task.

The quantum of dust emnating from my suitcases were as much as that of a supernova explosion that would have made even Osama Bin Laden proud. As i rummaged through old documents, I found one lease agreement dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization.

After four hours of focussed effort, there were huge piles of papers, hangers, clothes, water bottles, et. al that more resembled an earthquake survivor's belongings.

Finally we managed to load everything onto a 1952 make matador tempo and set off to the new place, which was on the third floor with no lift.. Here came Mr. Bluestar - The MBA (Moving Benches Around) flat mate's gyan and lingo of Supply Chain Management.

We formed a human chain with one on each floor and employing the services of two labourers, finally managed to shift almost everything while Dr. Vaigasi maintained strict vigil down below. I have a celebrity neighbor in Mr. Illiyaraja, a genius whom I admire for his musical panache.

And as I settle down to go to sleep on my first day in this new place with a blend of the musty odour of paint, dust and distemper, I assure myself that my "Mahal ho Sapno ka" is not far away...