Saturday, September 02, 2006

Why go?

Yesterday at the bus stop, I got to see for the first time since I came to Chennai, a mainstream political leader from Tamil Nadu. The MDMK (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) was holding a rally, which seemed to be proceeding towards Marina beach, in support of Sri Lankan Tamils. Men in black (with strips of red here and there as in the shirt collars and cuffs) and went past raising slogans and ogling at women bystanders. Red and black is the colour most favoured by the Dravidian parties of Tamil Nadu.
The police team accompanying the rally hinted that something big was following - that came in the shape of MDMK supremo Vaiko or Y. Gopalasamy (which was probably shortened to Y.Go and got corrupted to Vaiko). The Tamils have a quaint way of using English alphabets. So you find an apartment named SS Terrace being spelt out as YesYes Terrace and a person with SV in the initials of his name calling himself "Yeswe"! The English would be shocked/amazed by the innovative use of their language by some former colonial subjects.
Two dozen men in khadi, probably chhotta leaders, surrounded him. The big-built Vaiko wore a khadi kurta and mundu, and had a black shawl around his neck - another staple for Dravidian leaders. I have seen many Tamilian elders wearing a towel, nowadays turkey towels too, around their neck.
A supporter in drunken stupor summed up the theme of the rally: "Tamizha, Tamizha pogathe - Dont go, oh Tamilian!"

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh, wow after so many years in madras you saw a leader Vip..you got to be kidding..
either they stopped processions.. or made it less.. everyday it used to be something.. always there used to be some traffic block for some vip..
and seeing actors etc was another thing..
so thats the thing behind ss.terrace and YESYES terrace story.. was always wondering.
take care usha

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