My first trip to South India - by Vijayta Jain

Since a long time I was planning to put my thoughts into words for this forum. But, don't know where I was busy. Surely not in the office:). All my way back to home, I was deeply thinking where to start from. The dilemma is from where to start rather than what to start.

Everyone's heart is filled with lot of cherish memories but mine is pretty fresh because I just left my spinsterhood :) I could gather each and every moment of summer of '07 when I joined my first job. As a fresh graduate I was eagerly waiting for my joining letter. My eagerness was not about to know my take home or to know allowances or to know the joining date. My only concern was my joining location. I was flexible enough to accept any location except Chennai. I had all reasons to stay in delhi , die hard fan of pune, happening life of bangalore and Hyderabad could prove to be a career jackpot.

But life is never the bed of roses.I didn't wish to go to Chennai, so I was the only one from my college to join the Chennai center. Goddamn it, It was the shock of my life. I took hours to digest... me ... Why only me...... May be because they came to know the secret that I love south Indian food. Friends gave me all fundas to console me by saying you got the best technology or all R&D happens in this center or may be you will get on site soon. Ya, I was directly posted to onsite... just next to Sri Lanka. But, sooner or later I have to face the music so, I was mentally prepared to stay there for next 2 years and choose the biggest suitcase(almost immovable) and all set to go.

The minute I landed the station I could find nothing fishy about that fish smell. I said to myself.... "Welcome to chennai". The first things I remember about chennai is the autowalas.... They all are rajnikants in their own way. A number plate can be missing on their autos but a rajnikant's poster will not be. They have there own rates, speed, traffic rules and you are obliging them by seating in their autos. Even I also learned to deal with them before reaching chennai. "What anna .... u think m new........ T-nagar near na anna.... working IT 6 years chennai... only 100Rs". Don't dare use verb,adverb ,only keywords and hand movements. The minute you argue with them they can blame you for tearing their seat covers.

I could smell the fragrance of that white and orange flowers in every street of chennai.Its a ritual that all males bring flowers to their wives while returning back from office (how filmi). You can get the best filter coffee even on a small hawker. That is the bestest coffee one can ever experience. I felt relived by all the troubles loaded by this city when I walk along the Marina beach and watching sunset and sunrise from the beach is a fascinating experience. My all time favourite was Murugun Idli(may be equivalent to haldiram or bikaner here). This shop was always overcrowded serving coffee and pure ghee dosas and idli on banana leaf. I became expert in eating by covering palm and hands together. I really appreciate this city for preserving and nurturing their culture and traditions so tactfully.People are pretty professional and polite in these cities.There are smart enough people like Kishore Biyani who got inspired by Sarvana store of Chennai and launched Big Bazar.

There is so much to see and experience in South India. Be it Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry, Kodai, Madurai or Rameshwaram. I was fortunate enough to discover all because I am a travel bug who who likes to travel & feels "at home" all over the world !!!. I just believe one should shop,eat and enjoy in the cities commonest places to enjoy the heart of the city. Chennai is a fantablous place and there are innumerable positive aspects to watch out rather than crip about the weather, sambar, idli or language difference.