the fragrance of the flowers and shrubs spotting along the river and the path that leads to the town Dharapuram. The people who bathe and wash seem to be time conscious a

ects Palladam, Erode, Gobichettipalayam, Tiruppur, Kodumudi, Palani and Karur, the other towns of bigger magnitude. Dharapuram is only a taluk and the district administration is at Tiruppur. The municipality supplies enough water to the residents and yet people in Dharapuram make it a point to take a dip in Amaravathy at all possible times. People living nearby the river, especially Agraharam, start their d

en during Sundays and holidays. I also frequent his house. My mother would surprise us often with tiffin that she prepares for the company of Balu and me. Balu's parents are busy whenever I visit Balu as the grocery shop is popular. They never engage attendants as they are not trustworthy. In the town, t

ns a spinster for a long while as they say her horoscope is flooded with bad planets. Balu's parents will have no complaint even if he stays the whole day with me. This has a special reason

the study holidays. The straight columns that propel from different branches are characteristic of the banyan trees. The monkeys that hold to these column

the town by virtue of his post. The teachers in the high school, most of them commute by walk, also pass through our house. The 6th standard class teacher Janaki is the one whom I adore as the embodiment of Shakespeare. She has taught me the alphabet of English. Maybe, someday if I become an exponent of English, it is attributed only to her sincere efforts. I must mention what is sincere about Janaki is that she sits every boy on her lap and teaches A, B, C….as the study of the English language starts only from the 6th standard. This follows the entire class of 20 students, all boys. The girls have to study in St. Aloysius girls' high school and that is the only institution ava

ome in a lungi. If you wear trousers and a

se days, in most of the schools, there could be seen only one teacher who remains the whole day in a particular standard and ha

e if my mother happens to be on the threshold. Never will my mother let her go without a cup of coffee. Janaki is all praise for the filter coffee. On her invitation, I visit her off and on runni

coloured fish in the pond that surrounds the fountain and the flower garden is abundant with roses and jasmine and lilies. There are stone benches around the fountain and elders could be seen sitting on them sometimes. Mostly young children play around the benches. It is on one of these benches that I acquired the friendship of Sairam, an engineering college student at Coimbatore. He lives just behind the park in a spacious bungalow. His dad is a doctor. He has a younger brother by the name Sundar who also pursues engineering in another college at Coimbatore. The boys are friendly and hospitable. Balu and I've been to their bungalow quite a number of times. Sundar is more fair and handsome than Sairam. On occasions, while we are in the company of Sundar, he entertains us with his song and dance. Song okay but a boy dancing to the tunes of karnatic music is not that common! Well, we learn later that Sundar is effeminate. Sundar's mom says: "If only Sundar were born a girl I would spare all the humiliation meted out to him "God is strange! A new knowledge in our boyhood memory, Sairam explains that effininates have a mixed anatomy and that they prefer mostly the behavior of females. A curiosity lurches in our minds, then growing adolescent, to learn more and more. This triggers the attitude of boys to watch with intent how the girls and women struggle to keep their skirt or saree in position from being lifted up in the fiery wind that is predominant in Dharapuram, espe

ccountant in the Electricity board, a state government enterprise. At last there comes a bride from Gobichettipalayam who is acceptable to my granny and uncle. They order for our dress for the marriage, the dress for my younger, elder brother and myself and my baby sister. Ne

our dress and says to contact for assis

boy, will you go tell your gr

any of the ceremonies at the podium for fear of being sent on some errand or other. Marriage over, next day we're back home and

Sundar, your au

behaves as if nothing h

I too for reasons like I get good marks if I pray to the Lord and take my examinations and the ghee rich white pongal they offer on special occasions like Rama navami, Anjayaneyar Jayanthi and on all Fridays. The bus pulls up and everyone alights and I too get down

d and wonders: "Hey Sundar, I am

over the age and time! With great reluctance, I stay for a while with Balu after I accomplish my trip to Dharapura