Vidya Wonders by Vidya Sigamany




		Alternating between an active interest and a languorous fascination for the world, Vidya Sigamany reacts to the things and issues around us. Love her or hate her, you just can't ignore her. Here are all the works she has on Zine5...


		Captivated... (21st August 2002) I have seen dolphins gliding by/One enchanted afternoon in Pondy/And a barn owl/One chilly day at twilight... Three Cheers for Sports (14th August 2002) June, it was the Football World Cup. Last month, it was the women's hockey final at the Manchester Commonwealth Games. Yesterday, it was cherubic 17-year-old Parthiv Patel's unruffled 19 not out... Ode to Lost Friends (31st July 2002) I think, perhaps this Friendship Day I will send each a nice card and I am sure I'll be back in touch with them again... Chennai Snapshots (5th June 2002) By the roadside, an old man sat on the ground cleaning garlic pearls spread out on a piece of sack. He probably worked at the small blue cabin-kiosk that served tea, snacks and lunch... A Gamer Reminisces (22nd May 2002) One of the clearest memories I have is of an old, tattered, green double-sided board we had at home, with Ludo on one side and Snakes and Ladders on the other... Another Usual Day (17th April 2002) It was the beginning of another usual day for Kala. She and Suresh had just opened the office; he was switching on all the equipment - the Xerox machine, the computers, A/Cs, unlocking the telephones in the two STD booths... Through the Land of the Cholas - Concluding Part (10th April 2002) We knew we wouldn't miss the temple in that sparse landscape. But nothing prepared us for the magnificent brown structure that loomed suddenly into our vision. We were scrambling to get down before the conductor could blow his whistle... Through the Land of the Cholas - IV (13th March 2002) Inside the temple it was so dark that you had to strain to see what was ahead of you. The floor was wet and slushy, as if it had rained inside... Through the Land of the Cholas - III (13th February 2002) The Point Calimere sanctuary turned out to be a damp squib - quite literally - the trails were all submerged, the ground was soggy and difficult to walk on, and there were no animals in sight. We followed two bewildered red-wattled lapwings that were feeding in the post-rain puddles... Through the Land of the Cholas - II (9th January 2002) The bus ride from Thanjavur to Vedaranyam is through one of the most spectacular landscapes - lush greenery of the fields on either side of the road interspersed by large expanses of water... Through the Land of the Cholas (26th December 2001) The metre-gauge train got into Thanjavur on a rainy cold morning. We walked to the nearby Hotel Tamil Nadu only to find out that all standard rooms had been booked. Eventually we found a hotel very near the Periya Kovil... The Post Office Today (19th December 2001) Inside, it was dark and very damp (from the previous day's rain) - there were puddles of water on the floor and water trickling down some walls, yet the staff sat at their rickety tables and chairs and went about their work... Kid Sister (12th December 2001) Sunitha, my kid sister, going to be a mother? I couldn't believe it. Three years younger than me, I had always considered her a kid, someone to pamper, spoil and indulge always... Twist in the Tale (14th November 2001) I looked longingly at the cat resting on the compound wall outside our sitting room. It had a peaceful look on its beautiful face, eyes half-closed, ears strained to every sound, swishing its twisted tail lazily, nonchalantly... The Gatecrasher (7th November 2001) I gave her big points for her personality and poise. But I had judged too soon! Before she had even sat down, she said incredulously, "But you two look so young"... Hungry Kya? (31st October 2001) The food is excellent though - the chapathis with dal and the samosas can make mouths water even on a full stomach. Then there is the chaat, a variety of North Indian sweets (do they give you milk peni anywhere else?), the pav bhaji... It Happened One Morning (17th October 2001) When we looked around, we saw two tea shops already in business for the day. Among the customers, I spotted more than one woman! These women sure started their day early... Haiku (10th October 2001) A set of five 'cute' Haikus. Autokkaaran... *Autokkaaran...* (3rd October 2001) Taking autorickshaws is a blessing compared to actually driving a two-wheeler in the chaotic and perilous Chennai traffic, and thus it is that I have a whole range of experiences with them and their drivers... Paatti Time (26th September 2001) The crow with the broken wing, the dull moon in the daylight, the passing car - all these become elements in Neha's education as her paatti points them out to her, crooning snatches of songs about them and introducing them to her... A Decade Ago, A Decade Later (12th September 2001) It was a sudden dawning - it was ten years since I had entered college for my undergraduation. Ten years! And an impelling urge seized me to visit the place where I had spent three very enjoyable years... A Day With a Friend (22nd August 2001) In the three years in college, we were brought close by a lot of common likes and the things we did together: we sat together in the last row; we loved reading and regularly read novels during class; we could discuss anything with each other... A Delightful Trip - Part III (15th August 2001) Navin and I, in an adventurous mood, decided to try European cuisine (the menu had everything from tandoori to Chettinad and continental stuff)... A Delightful Trip - Part II (8th August 2001) Dressed in holiday fashion, in shorts and cotton shirts, we set out to celebrate the day. The first thing we did was to hire a two-wheeler, a shiny new Kinetic Honda, for just Rs. 100 for the whole day, petrol to be filled by us... A Delightful Trip (1st August 2001) Then Maraimalai Adigalar Salai suddenly became Rue Bussy (Bussy Street), and the atmosphere seemed to change with the name - the streets were clean and had French names, no gaps between the roads and the pavements so there was no dust, the houses were large and colonial... Sudharshan - Tribute to a House - Part II (25th July 2001) I don't remember my feelings then, but now, I wish I could have somehow held on to Sudharshan, bought it and preserved it for myself. I missed it terribly... Sudharshan - Tribute to a House (18th July 2001) I simply loved the house. It had a huge courtyard, both in the back and in the front. As you entered through the massive gate, a giant old mango tree stood on the right... Mystery of the Sleeping Roomie (11th July 2001) He called her name a few times but there was no response from the silent room upstairs. From the unlit window of the room, they deduced that the girl was asleep. Even banging the grill-door failed to stir her... The Street (4th July 2001) Gathered as for a temple festival, Swarming the whole street, causing chaotic traffic on three others, Shops, some high as temple gopuras... Vandana (27th June 2001) She talked as much and as eagerly as me and seemed completely different from the person I had imagined her to be. She was new to the city and state. A Malayali brought up and married in Bombay, she and her husband had just moved to my suburb... Yesterday's Tunes (20th June 2001) A seat near the window, a speeding bus, breeze blowing in, the bus's superior stereo: the scene is still embedded in my memory with this beautiful song. I remember wanting to own the cassette that minute... Starry Encounters (13th June 2001) This reminded me of a friend who met Zakir Hussain, the tabla maestro, in Mumbai, wandering outside the auditorium where he was to perform a few hours later. When he caught my friend looking at him, the maestro himself said 'Hello'... Where's the Baby? (6th June 2001) Had she managed to go that far? Had one of the neighbours seen her and taken her with him but without informing her family? Or worse, had some villain seen the baby wandering alone and whisked her away... Mayflowers (30th May 2001) Glorious clusters of bright red, on a canvas of little green leaves, supported by bare brown branches, appear as early as late April... Teething Troubles (23rd May 2001) I fear the insensitivity, callousness and unsympathetic attitude displayed by some "men of medicine," not just dentists. This fear was heightened by a recent experience with doctors at a reputed eye-hospital when I went there to have a painful sty treated... Seasons of Love (16th May 2001) Glancing cursorily at his face, she froze - it was Sailesh. He saw her almost at the same instant. They must have kept staring for a few seconds, events two years past rushing by in that moment... Home is where the Neighbours are (9th May 2001) It was quite the ideal, filmi style friendship that we three families, one Muslim, one Hindu and one Christian, shared. It went beyond the usual conversations across the fence (or gate, as the case may be), sharing dishes and invitations on special occasions... Fishy Names (2nd May 2001) Until I found out, there is the electric blue damsel, as vivid as its name, then the monster oscar that reminds one of "Jaws"... My Cup of Tea (25th April 2001) I guess this exercise started from my parents' home - we would have coffee first thing in the morning - but for no-reason hot afternoon sips, for sitting around and chatting, when guests arrive, it was tea that won the vote. In fact, my father makes the best tea I have ever had... Sudden Rain (18th April 2001) I see a crow take shelter, in the crook of two branches of a tree, huddling into it. Butterflies scatter from bushes...