India Visit Nov-Dec 2007 : Part 3 - Puttu Times

Today is my Puttu Darlings 2nd Budday. Happy budday Puttu Raani.

I still remember this day 2 years ago, when I got a call from my brother that he has become a father. I heard Puttu cry and I had tears welling up my eyes. 2 years have gone by really fast and Puttu is no longer as Puttu as she was then:) I guess its a perfect time to write Part 3 of the series - Puttu times on my trip to India.

Puttu was jetlagged from her flight and hence did not come to receive me at the airport. She was asleep when I reached home and I was looking at her quietly. When she woke up a little later she was cranky as she hadnt had her full sleep and that set the tone for the next 2 days. She would look at me and know who I am, but would refuse to come to me or call me "Kaka". The moment I walk out of the room or away from her view she would have absolutely no problems calling me Kaka and telling everyone that I am her Kaka. I was yearning for her to call me kaka in my presence and I knew I had to be patient.

As she got a bit more comfortable with me, she would sit with me and go through photos and answer my questions. I would ask her whos who on the pics and she would correctly say everyone except Kaka. When I point to a pic of mine and ask who it was, she would turn the page or point at someone else and say something else:) As much as I was yearning to her her say Kaka, her shyness came across as a very cute and smart game :)

A coupla of days later, she opened up and called me Kaka and I was over the moon. And ever since she would always want me to be by her side. The moment i walk away from her sight, she would shout for me and order me with her tender index finger to come near her :) Awwwww!!!!!! and how she shouted is "kaka...Kaa Kaa.....KAAA KAAAA" and I had better responded by then :D:D:D

The few days with Puttu were spent listening to all her babbles, her enactions of numerous rhymes (Hindi , Engklish, Tamil and Marathi), playing with her, clicking hundreds of pics of her and running around the house with her.

At Thirupathi, came the Mottai episode. Since her Mama was unable to make the trip, I as her Kaka had to sit her in my lap while her head was tonsured. The way Puttu got scared and cried made me decide that it was an act of TORTURE and not TONSURE. I wondered why there existed such a ritual and even started to question the ritual. It affected me a lot. In the end, Puttu with her Mottai Thalai was as cute as ever and I even taught her to say "Me Me" when I asked who "Mottai boss" was.

With the numerous functions that were there Puttu was dressed in Pattu Paavadais (silk dresses) each time and she looked so cute walking around in them. She had her first experience with Indian Railways in a Shatabdi train and thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

Saying goodbye to her was obviously very difficult and it was amazing to see how she too knew that she was parting. You could feel it. She would give u a kiss readily, while at most times u wud have to ask her a few times....she wud come to us and hug us etc etc.

For now, its phone calls, fotos and videos of Puttu that keep me going.

Once again, Happy Budday Puttu Kutty >:D< I miss being there.

Its that day again - my birthday

Originally posted on 2nd August on my other blog

A couple of weeks ago, it was my brothers birthday and I asked him "Are you mourning growing older or celebrating becoming wiser" and pat came the answer "ofcourse I am celebrating growing wiser".

Today, I ask myself this very question and the answer I get is no different to what my brother said. The last year has been another great learning experience and I am sure I have only gotten wiser from all those experiences. With ups and downs, constant change, redefined relationships, new friends - the journey has been wonderful and lessonful (am i inventing a word here).
The day in Melbourne has been nice and pleasant and being governed by "Cake rules" that apply to everyone in my Team at work, I had to take in a cake to work for all my team mates. I did get a few stares on the train coz i was having a huge box in a plastic bag - a package that people would have thought of as 'suspicious'.

The rest of the day at work is going to be busy with some work and a couple of meetings and then I will be meeting a few friends for dinner tonight before I get to chat with my family :)