Fell in love with Chennai, all over again !!!

I might sound like an idiot to many others from other parts of the country when I say this. But you know what.. I am in love with this place called Chennai. The city, a metropolitan one at that, that has made me what I am. I do not want to sound like a Protagonist here, but whatever I am is a fine blend of what this city had to offer to me in terms of education, culture and job and I am very proud of being a Chennaiite and I belong here, to this place. My Cousins, call us, my bro, sis and me, “Paandi Pada” ( how mean of them !) and I used to fight with them about their attitude towards Tamilnadu and Chennai in particular.

Today I was flying out of Chennai to Bangalore in the evening so that I am in Bangalore tonite and am all set and ready for a training programme, that I will be conducting in our most beautiful venue SDC. Normally I do not fly out of Chennai in the evenings on a week day, but today was different. This is just a two day programme and I will be back on Wednesday ( that is if the flights take off and land precisely :-( I am ever so worried these days to step into a flight with all these pilots getting into the fake certification rackets ).

I was tired after 9 hours of work today and when I landed at the airport the day still looked long. I would reach Bangalore only in the midnight and the cab journey from airport to SDC in electronic city was one thing I was already dreading. With all these thoughts in my mind, I was patiently sitting in seat no 3F a window seat of the aircraft listening to Captain Kumar’s welcome address in the Kingfisher flight and later the security instructions of the cabin crew and slowly the aircraft was taxiing for a takeoff. And finally it did, not because of the efforts of the pilots, but I strongly believe due to effect of the “ Hail Holy Queen” prayer that I normally say during these take-offs ( he he..)

I was completely amazed at the sight that I watched from the window seat today.. My city, Chennai was lit up so well and the pilot took the aircraft, probably at lower altitude, on a nice trip around Chennai. I was able to identify Saidapet, Guindy Park, Adyar,the long winding Mount Road and then we came around T.Nagar, where I could see Pothys, GRT and a couple of other buildings. It was as though the pilot knew my love for Chennai and was taking me around to show a different view of Chennai from the skyline. Chennai was shimmering with all those lights and it was as though the entire set of stars in the sky had descended on to Chennai and she looked like a paradise. It was like a sparkling diamond studded huge carpet spread out in all its glory with all those curvaceous roads bordered by the street lights that made a complex design for the lesser mortals to see from above.  I was brimming with pride at this sight and honestly fell head over heels in Love with this beautiful city. The steady flow of traffic especially in Mount Road added to the glitter of lights.. red, yellow and orange.. and oh!! So Lovely !!!

I have flown to Chennai in the evenings many times before, but probably I would have been sleeping, have never found Chennai this beautiful in the night. And on top of all the glitter and lights there was this full moon that was glowing.. or may be it is the moonlight that bathed Chennai in the evening that made Chennai look like a bride in all her grandeur. I loved the sight, enjoyed the short time that the pilot bestowed on me and we moved farther and farther away from the landscape until, these tiny lights were just specks in the distant horizon. I closed my eyes and waited to land in Bangalore.