The Karuppaiah Vathiyar featured in this story is Vaishnavi’s grandfather and this piece is a work of fiction to write not about the grandfather that she misses but about the man she’s heard he was and the simple but powerful legacy he left behind.
The two great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata are an indispensable part of the Indian cultural fabric. This poem is Vaishnavi’s take on a small part of the Ramayana that has emotionally resounded with her over the years: Rama coming home to his kingdom after his fourteen year fast and the Lankan war. This piece was born out of wondering and imagining how joyful that momentous occasion could have been.
This piece is a reflection on what the city of Chennai means to Vaishnavi. It is an attempt to capture the essence of the city as she knows it. This piece is personal; it is about her Chennai, her home: the memories evoked, the emotions elicited and what home means.