Day 3

I woke up at 6.30 am today. Not bad for being on vacation. In fact, we all went for a walk around beautiful Independent Square in the morning. Built to commemorate SL’s independence, the square is an intricately carved structure with lions ornamenting the length and breadth of the square. Around it is a beautifully maintained, vibrant green garden that had been freshly watered (or it had rained last night). It smelled heavenly and made for a lovely experience in the morning. When we returned home, Uncle B treated me to some fresh coconut water. He shaved off the “Tammili” as he called it right in front of me and drained out the sweet, cooling liquid for me. A walk in the cradle of history and Mother Nature and coconut water every morning. I might not tire of this vacation at all.

We went to shop at the International Convention Center here. Being the Tamil New Year, there are discount sales and fairs happening in every nook and cranny and the ICC(International City Center, not the cricket board) supposedly has some VERY good deals. And they did. I bought some delicious SL pickles – something native to take home with me. B’s parents used the fair as an excuse to get away and buy a gift for B whose birthday was on the next day. I too had forgotten this itsy-bitsy fact (as many who know me are aware, I am besieged by amnesia since birth, which also I have no recollection of) but since I had travelled so many miles to see her, I was somewhat forgiven.

After shopping, we were to head to B’s aunt’s house for lunch. I had developed a migraine and wanted to rest my thumping head in the car. As the car pulled out of the ICC, I thought the mind was playing games with me because I distinctly heard Aunty B say, “Look! An alligator.” When I heard it again a second time, followed by B’s “Yeah, right out here on the road too.” the eyes snapped open. An alligator on the road? I had to see this. Sure enough, it was this critter cooling strolling on the road.



If you can’t make out, let me help you.



A ginormous monster lizard was walking on a public street of the capital city!

It was like being on an urban safari. The chilled out G that he was, the lizard shuffled his way along and smoothly made his way onto the grassy pavement when he saw our car blocking his way. As if, he was doing a favour by making way for us on his lane.

Pumped with adrenaline and a throbbing head, I arrived at B’s aunt’s place. I eagerly lunged for the pain killers to get the thumping out of my head and popped 2 in my enthusiasm. And then I fell asleep for 2 hours. When I woke, I couldn’t have been more mortified! I’d fallen asleep in a stranger’s house that I visited for the very first time without so much as talking to them for five minutes! There was some drowsy crap in those pills that NO ONE told me! Half-asleep, half-Neanderthal, I walked out and talked to Aunty.

B led me to the lunch spread- everyone else had of course eaten already. Lunch was prepared by B’s granny and at the end of it, I wanted to kneel down and kiss those gifted hands. It was – chicken cutlets, cuttlefish in spicy coconut curry, prawns, cucumber and pineapple salad, sweet, lightly fried plantains. She converted the fish hater like me into a freaking shark. I gorged on all that delicious food and topped it off with traditional SL dessert of cold yogurt with honey.

The simplicity of the dessert yet its immense flavor made me realize that simplicity is what fills our heart with pleasure rather than the elaborate schemes of lavish palaces and umpteen luxuries that our minds fool us into believing. I discovered today that a full stomach is the taut drum on which the baton of philosophy is free to wield itself and create lilting harmony.

A profoundly exciting day.