March 30, 2025

Dear Annan,

I am deeply concerned for you, as I see you missing so many opportunities that could have come to you effortlessly.

Please do not mistake my concern for mere words without meaning. *I genuinely feel disheartened when someone who has lived an honorable life for decades sees their reputation slowly eroding.*

As fellow Mechanical Engineers, we both possess logic and analytical skills that far surpass those of lawyers.

While your legal team may safeguard your financial interests, they neither recognize nor prioritize the more invaluable aspects—your reputation, societal standing, and the legacy of discipline and integrity you have built over the past three decades.

You may not fully realize the gravity of the situation, but your actions, knowingly or unknowingly, could have far-reaching consequences.

*They may threaten the long-standing marriage traditions of our Nagarathar community.*

Moreover, it is crucial to keep all options open for your son. If he ever chooses to return to India, he should have the opportunity to lead a respected life and find a suitable bride within our community.

These are considerations that lawyers do not account for. If you secure a good match for him, you should be able to confidently refer to your own moral values—something that is far more valuable than any legal victory.

I must emphasize that even if every strategic move by you and your legal team succeeds, the financial gain would be insignificant compared to the immeasurable losses—your moral standing, societal reputation, self-respect, and dignity.

I sincerely urge you to reflect on this matter, applying the same logical and analytical reasoning that you honed during your doctoral journey.

If my words touch upon sensitive areas, I offer my apologies. However, I speak only out of concern, *as a well-lived person like you should embody the principle that “even in defeat, great people remain great.”*

Please take the time to think about this independently.

Sincerely,
Ramu

Subject: Gratitude and Reflections on Your Investment Philosophy

Dear Doctor,

I have been an ardent fan of yours since 2019, subscribing to all your premium offerings, including classroom sessions and offline video courses.

After becoming your follower, I stopped analyzing stocks myself, realizing that true analysis requires rigorous, unbiased discipline—something I found difficult to maintain. Instead, I chose to rely entirely on your guidance. What impresses me most is not just your investment philosophy but your unwavering commitment to “walking the talk,” with no deviations or compromises.

When I joined you in 2019, your portfolio comprised not just microcaps but nanocaps—stocks like DHP, Ambika, and OCCL—all deeply rooted in the Graham school of thought. These were classic value buys with low PE multiples, strong cash flows over a decade, debt-free status, and adherence to fundamental investment principles like the “$1 test.”

By following your approach, I have no regrets. I have made substantial gains in stocks like DHP, Ambika, and MFL, though I incurred small losses in a few, like OCCL. Overall, I am more than satisfied with the journey.

During those early years, I closely observed you, curious whether you would remain strictly within the Graham framework—focusing on deep-value, low-PE, debt-free nanocaps—or evolve into a different style of investor. I often wondered: would you always adhere to Graham’s principles, or would you eventually transition into a more flexible, adaptive investor?

Over the past year, I was intrigued to see your recommendations evolve. When you suggested stocks like Zydus and NH, I smiled, recognizing that while they had reasonable PE ratios and were largely debt-free, NH had a slightly higher valuation. However, I was truly astonished when you recommended Kotak Bank and, more recently, ICICI General Insurance (with a 35 PE). This marked a clear shift from a pure Graham approach towards a Fisher-style investment strategy—an evolution from nanocaps to flexi-cap investing.

Doctor, I remain a devoted fan, not just for your investment insights but for the discipline and sincerity you bring to every aspect of life. I admire your travelogues, your commitment to a low-carb diet, and your recent weight-loss journey. More than investing, I am eager to learn from you about life itself.

Before I conclude this long email, I would love to hear your thoughts—do my observations align with your own perspective on your investment evolution?

Thank you, Doctor, for guiding me on this path of enlightenment.

Sincerely,
Ramu (9884384425)

Dear Mr. Nambi,

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generosity and warm hospitality toward us, especially toward me.

Visiting your work premises was an eye-opening experience. I was truly astonished by the way you have envisioned and built everything. Your vision and execution are nothing short of brilliant, and it is evident that you are a great visionary.

Even if I were given ₹100 crore freely and asked to build a company like yours within a decade, I am certain that I wouldn’t be able to achieve what you have. The scale and excellence of your work are truly remarkable.

I deeply admire your commitment to your employees, particularly in areas such as occupational health therapy and other CSR initiatives. Your leadership reflects not only business acumen but also a great heart.

As you mentioned, I look forward to your company’s IPO and am keen to invest in your vision and be a part of your journey.

Thank you once again, Mr. Nambi.

Sincerely,
Ramaswamy
Managing Director
Spiraseal Gaskets Pvt. Ltd.

*My Experience at Harvard and MIT Campus:* – Part 2
– Ramu – 12/7/2024

Harvard alone has 28 libraries, and each one is more than just an ordinary building…

The main library is so massive that its size might be comparable to the Ripon Building and Anna Centenary Library in Chennai combined!

Interestingly, a prominent figure donated a few floors to this library about a century ago—but with a condition: the main structure must never be altered.

Because of this restriction, instead of expanding upwards, they dug underground and built five additional floors below the main building!

(இப்போவே கண்ண கட்டுதே😛 Even at this point, my eyes are getting blurry! 😭)

*Library Design: A Different Approach*

Unlike most libraries I’ve seen—where 70% of the space is crammed with book racks and only 30% is left for movement—these libraries have a completely different design.

Here, only 10-15% of the space is dedicated to books (including computers), while the rest is open and spacious.

Every study table, sofa, and recliner is individually well-lit, making it easy even for students with attention deficit disorders (ADD) to sit and focus for hours.

*MIT vs. Harvard: What’s the Difference?*

MIT, it seems, played a crucial role during World War II, working as an extension arm of the Pentagon and Washington, D.C., for defense research.

I asked our guide, *”Why would someone choose MIT over Harvard, which is older?”*

*His answer:*

MIT specializes in math, physics, chemistry, and biology. Even students majoring in humanities or linguistics at MIT must still complete coursework in MPC (Math, Physics, and Chemistry).

Harvard, on the other hand, is known for law, medicine, humanities, and linguistics.

*What About Admission Criteria?*

When I asked the guide about admission criteria for both universities, he gave a straightforward yet baffling reply:

*”None. Even the President doesn’t know it. It’s purely the prerogative of an independent autonomous board.”*

*The Most Surprising Part for Me*

The hardest, most unexpected, and even weirdest thing for someone like me—a middle-class, conservative, egoistic Indian—was this:

At the end of the tour, both student guides (from Harvard and MIT), who might be among the top 1% of the world’s elite in the future, unhesitatingly and without any inhibition made this simple request:

*”If I have made your time worthwhile, I am looking forward to your tips.”*

*That’s America! That’s Americans! That’s Capitalism! Yes, each and everyone of them are Capitalists at every moment.*

(…continued in Part 3)

*Unhesitatingly yours,*
🙏Ramu🙏

*My Experience at Harvard and MIT Campus – Though I Only Roamed Outside:* (Part 1)
– Ramu – 10/7/2024

*Disclaimer:* We had two separate student guides—one for each university—who took a group of 20+ of us around their respective campuses. They kept talking continuously for an hour, cracking sarcastic jokes along the way.

To be honest, I struggled to understand most of what they said because their English felt completely foreign to me.

But by carefully observing and catching bits and pieces of their conversation, I managed to grasp a few key things:

Both Harvard and MIT have owned vast stretches of prime property in Boston for a long time. To put it in perspective, imagine if the entire stretch of Mount Road in Chennai—from Teynampet to Parrys—belonged to just these two universities!

How is that even possible?

The answer: Massive donations—flowing in from top capitalists since the 18th century. From historical figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin to industrialists like Andrew Carnegie, and even local wealthy individuals, senators, mayors, student communities, and parents—everyone has contributed.

As I left both university campuses, a strange and wild thought ran through my mind…

*”What if Adam Smith—the champion of capitalism—and Karl Marx—the biggest critic of capitalism—were alive today, in their prime years?”*

*”What if they sat together in front of Harvard and MIT, discussing their own theories?”*

Would Smith and Marx have ever imagined that the capitalism of the 18th century (Smith’s time) and the socialism of the 19th century (Marx’s time) would evolve into what we see today in the 21st century?

– Would they hug each other out of shame for how their theories took unexpected twists and turns?

– Or out of pride at how their ideas, once mere seeds, have grown into an uncontrolled behemoth?

The most important question we should all ask ourselves:

*Why do capitalists and wealthy Americans donate a huge part of their wealth to universities—while we Indians tend to pass it down to our children and family members?*

Looking forward to your feedback before I share my opinion in Part 2…

Stunningly yours,

🙏Ramu🙏

*The Greatest Wonder: Lessons from Mahabharata and Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman:*
— Ramu, 18/3/2025

When the divine force in the Mahabharata posed a profound question to Yudhishthira, demanding an instant answer, the response was striking:

*Divine Force:* What is the greatest wonder in this world?

*Yudhishthira:* Every day, people hear of deaths around them—some in their village, some on their street, and at times, even in their own homes.

*Yudhishthir:* Yet, they *continue to live with arrogance, committing mistakes, as if they are immortal.* That is what I find most astonishing about human beings.

This ancient wisdom remains as relevant today as ever.

Take, for instance, the case of Tamil Nadu’s former Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa. She suffered from prolonged health deterioration, had undergone multiple surgeries, and eventually became hesitant to appear in public.

When she was admitted to Apollo Hospital, everyone knew it was likely her final battle.

If the public could foresee her fate, *surely, a leader as astute and bold as Jayalalithaa herself must have known it long before.*

*Yet, she never publicly named or groomed a successor to carry forward her political legacy.*

*Today, AIADMK is in shambles, with former ministers fighting over her political inheritance.*

If even the most rational, intelligent, and powerful leaders fail to prepare for their inevitable end, how can ordinary people like us be expected to do so?

*The Illusion of Endless Time:*

My own father-in-law, a diabetic for over four decades, used to say, *”Every extra day is a bonus for me.”*

Yet, just a day before his passing at nearly 80, he made five-year tax-saving fixed deposits—both personally and in his HUF account.

It is understandable when a family’s financial direction is lost due to a sudden and unexpected death—be it from a cardiac arrest, an accident, or any unforeseen mishap.

*But when the head of the family suffers from chronic illnesses like cancer, kidney failure, or heart disease after 60 and still fails to plan for succession, leaving behind disputes and confusion, it is nothing short of arrogance—the illusion that they will live forever.*

*Daniel Kahneman’s Last Lesson:*

I was recently shocked to learn that one of my Drona-like idols, the Nobel Laureate and behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman, had opted for assisted suicide last year.

Yet, as much as I was shocked, *I was also deeply appreciative of his decision.* ( I wish, I too)

It was not impulsive but a well-thought-out choice, completely in line with the principles he had spent a lifetime studying and writing about.

At 90, with declining kidney function and increasing mental lapses, Kahneman made what might be his most personally significant decision—with the same analytical precision that defined his career.

*In his parting email, he wrote:*

*”I have believed since I was a teenager that the miseries and indignities of the last years of life are superfluous. I am still active, enjoying many things in life (except the daily news), and will die a happy man. But my kidneys are on their last legs, the frequency of mental lapses is increasing, and I am ninety years old. It is time to go.”*

What struck me most was how perfectly his final act reflected his lifelong philosophy: recognizing cognitive biases, making rational decisions, and avoiding unnecessary suffering.

*Preparing for the Inevitable:*

*Once we cross 60, we must come to terms with the fact that death is inevitable.*

Preparing for it doesn’t mean resigning to fate while still healthy. Instead, it means:

– Avoiding excessive financial risks or fresh debts

– Resolving long-standing disputes with family, friends, and neighbors

– Being kind to our spouse and children instead of using harsh words

– Expressing our small desires to our loved ones and fulfilling them

– Grooming a successor to carry forward our responsibilities

– Ensuring a proper legal and financial plan for our assets

– Giving clear directions to our family about our wishes

– Making peace with our past and those we have wronged

– Daniel Kahneman’s final act was his last and most powerful lesson—live life on your own terms and embrace the end with clarity and dignity.

May we all learn from history, from wise leaders, and from those who had the foresight to prepare for life’s greatest certainty.

*Wishing all my readers a long, healthy, and well-prepared life.*

Sincerely,
Ramu

Dear Palaniappan Annan,

This is Ramu again. I still believe I can mediate between you and Kasi without taking sides.

I sincerely request you to understand that I am not against you, nor am I blindly supporting Kasi. My only concern is to help both of you find a fair resolution.

Over the past five decades, you both have built a strong reputation, which is now at risk due to this dispute. I urge you to consider that reputation is far more valuable than money, and prolonging this issue will only cause further damage.

Neutral mediators always ensure that neither side takes unfair advantage of the other. A legal battle will only make matters worse for both of you, affecting your reputation and peace of mind.

It seems you both have agreed on what needs to be exchanged, but the issue lies in how to do it. The approach suggested by your counsel is unusual in our community and has never been the norm.

Legal advisors often take the most cautious approach due to their professional mindset. However, I personally assure you on behalf of Kasi that she will honor the agreement and act in good faith.

I am always available to meet you in person and discuss a reasonable way to move forward. Delaying this further will only create more complications, especially for the future of your children.

Please let me know when we can talk or meet at your convenience.

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday.

Sincerely,
Ramu
(16/3/2025)

*Learning New Language – my opinion – Ramu:*

First, we should all understand one thing.

1. How can any language make someone brilliant? How can any language get someone a job?

Language is, after all, just a communication tool. To get a job, one requires skills—not just language.

2. In our company, out of 30 employees, 4 are Bihari, 2 are Assamese, and 2 are Nepalese. They didn’t know Tamil before coming here, but now they have learned it well enough to manage.

3. A spoken language and an academically taught language are not the same, except for learning the alphabet.

4. *No matter how many classes or certificates you have, you can’t speak a language without actually speaking it. Even if you do, it won’t be as good as a native speaker.*

*Abdul Kalam never know Hindi till his death, P Chidambaram never know Hindi till today. Can’t they learn it? Of course. But they never do. Because they used their time for other skills.*

5. My wife speaks very good Hindi without ever studying or attending any Hindi classes. How? Just because we stayed in Jamshedpur for six years. Learning a language is the easiest thing if you’re in the right environment.


6. Learning a new language is a different ball game. No one says you shouldn’t learn Hindi.

7. If I have limited time and resources, as a mechanical engineer, learning CAD, SAP, FEA, etc., will get me a job. If I only know Hindi but not CAD or SAP, nobody will give me a job.


8. I lived in the North for 6+2 = 8 years. *Even now, I neither understand nor speak Hindi. Why?* Because my time was limited.

9. During my stay in Jamshedpur, I used my time to learn English—reading English books, writing in English, etc.

9. *I categorically told myself during my stay in the North: If I learn Hindi, then I will start speaking only in Hindi, and I will never achieve fluency in English.*

10. All sweepers, contractors, etc., during my stay, converse with me only in butler English.

11. *The key to attaining fluency in any language is speaking more and more.* So I tried speaking only in English.

12. *Decide whether you want to be an expert in Hindi or English—that’s the question I asked myself during my stay- by considering my time and resource limitations.*

13. So, neither allow you  nor your children will become victims of political beliefs.

Ramu

My First City Experience and Its Impact on My Life
– Ramu, 9/3/2025

Poets often write about “a lover’s first kiss” or “a woman’s first touch.”

But for people like me, who were born and raised in villages, the “first city experience” is much more important and unforgettable.

Before this, I had visited cities like Chennai and Thanjavur, but always while holding my parents’ hands.

In 1984, when I was 16, I got my first real city experience—alone and with some money in my pocket. That city was Tiruchirappalli (Trichy).

After enrolling in B.Sc. Statistics at St. Joseph’s College, my father left me in Trichy, giving me some money, hoping that I would soon secure admission for Engineering at Annamalai University.

From that moment, Trichy became the starting point of my life’s many journeys—both backward and forward.

---

Memorable First Experiences in Trichy

• First Time Seeing a Meal Served Like This:
  In Trichy, I first saw meals served on a large round plate with small bowls of curry, sambar, rasam, and payasam neatly arranged along the edge.
• First Time Eating ‘Ghee Dosa’ Like This:
  At Kavitha Hotel, near the central bus stand, I saw ghee dosa served with a small banana leaf inside it.
• First Time Tasting Fruit Salad and Ice Cream:
  Trichy was the first place where I tasted fruit salad and ice cream.
• First Time Seeing Huge Supermarkets and Clothing Stores:
  I was amazed by the Sindhamani Supermarket and Sarathas Textile Store, which looked like vast empires to me.

---

The Entertainment Scene (1984–1990)

During this time, multiplexes (cinema complexes) started emerging.

• I was a regular visitor to Maries Theatre Complex (near our college) and Sona-Meena Theatre Complex (near the bus stand).
• At Singarathope, I was introduced to gambling games like Lavang Katte rolling (a dice game), video games, and card games. For a while, I got addicted to them, and they took control of my life.

---

Trichy and My Changing Life

From July to October 1984, I stayed in Trichy, unable to leave. Even after joining Erode Engineering College in November, I kept coming back to Trichy until late 1985.

One thing that helped me in Trichy was the 24×7 cloakroom at the central bus stand—a small 3×5 feet storage room where I could leave my luggage safely. This was one of Trichy’s unique features that helped travelers like me.

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An Important Life Realization

I once read that director Vetri Maaran used to smoke 30-40 cigarettes a day. But when he realized that a film director needs at least 10 hours of physical stamina to stand on set, he quit smoking because he loved cinema more than cigarettes.

This made me realize that to succeed in life, we need an obsession (or passion).

• If this obsession is positive, society calls it PASSION.
• If it is negative, society calls it ADDICTION.

My passion for knowledge helped me escape my gambling addiction, and after 1988, Trichy slowly faded from my life.

---

Returning to Trichy After Many Years

Today, I came back to Trichy for a wedding.

I’ve learned that to truly understand a city, the best time to explore it is between 6 PM – 12 AM or 5 AM – 7 AM.

After 8 AM, all cities start looking the same due to globalization. But in the early mornings and late evenings, each city reveals its unique character.

Last night, I arrived in Trichy at 8:30 PM, left my luggage at Hotel Anand, and went out to explore the city.

I was surprised! Trichy still looked the same as it did in 1985.

• Unlike Madurai, it hasn’t grown too fast.
• Unlike Chennai, it hasn’t expanded endlessly.
• Unlike Coimbatore, it hasn’t become a money-driven commercial hub.

I saw the same Kavitha Hotel, Sangeetha Hotel, Bombay Lassi Shop, and street food stalls near the central bus stand, just as I remembered them.

---

Plan for Today

Today, I plan to visit:

1. Main Guard Gate
2. Singarathope
3. Palakkarai Sarbath Shop

to relive old memories before heading back.

YThank you,
Ramu

என் வாழ்வின் முதல் நகர அனுபவம் மற்றும் பின்னாளில் என் வாழ்வில் அதன் தாக்கமும்: – ராமு, 9/3/2025

எல்லாக் கவிஞர்களும் “காதலியின் முதல் முத்தம்” பற்றி, “பெண்ணின் முதல் ஸ்பரிசம்” பற்றி சிலாகித்து பாடல் எழுதுவார்கள்.

எங்களைப் போன்ற கிராமத்தில் பிறந்து வளர்ந்தவர்களுக்கு “முதல் நகர அனுபவம்” அதைக் காட்டிலும் பன்மடங்கு முக்கியமானது மற்றும் நினைவுகளில் இருந்து விலக்க முடியாதது.

இதற்கு முன் “சென்னை, தஞ்சாவூர்” போன்ற சில நகரங்களுக்கு சென்று இருந்தாலும், அதுவெல்லாம் பெற்றோர்கள் கை பிடித்து பயணித்தவை.

என்னுடைய பதினாறு வயதில் – 1984, முதன்முதலில் தனித்து விடப்பட்டதோடு அல்லாமல் கொஞ்சம் பணப் புழக்கத்துடன் நான் சுற்றித்திரியத் தொடங்கிய நகரம் “திருச்சி”.

செய்ன்ட் ஜோசப் கல்லூரியில் “இளங்கலை – புள்ளியியல்” சேர்த்துவிட்டு கொஞ்சம் கையில் பணம் கொடுத்து எப்படியும் “அண்ணாமலை பல்கலையில்” “பொறியியல்” கிடைத்துவிடும் என்ற நம்பிக்கையுடன் என் அப்பா என்னை திருச்சியில் விட்டுவிட்டுச் சென்றார்.

பிறகு என் வாழ்க்கையில் நிகழ்ந்த சில பல பின்னோக்கிய மற்றும் முன்னோக்கிய, அனைத்து நகர்வுகளுக்கும் திருச்சியே தொடக்கப்புள்ளி – விதை.

மதிய சாப்பாடு ஒரு பெரிய வட்டவடிவு தட்டில் நான்கைந்து கிண்ணங்களை விளிம்போரத்தில் அடுக்கி அதில் கூட்டு, பொறியல், சாம்பார், ரசம், பாயசம் என்று அடுக்கி சப்ளை செய்வதை நான் முதன் முதலில் பார்த்தது, மற்றும் சுவைத்தது திருச்சியில் தான்.

நெய் தோசை கேட்டால் உள்ளே சிறிய வாழை இலை வைத்து சப்ளை செய்வதைப் பார்த்து சுவைத்தது திருச்சி மத்திய பேருந்து நிலைய அருகில் இருக்கும் “கவிதா” ஹோட்டலில் தான்.

“ப்ரூட் சாலட், மற்றும் சில ஐஸ்கிரீம்கள் வாழ்க்கையில் முதன்முதலில் சுவைத்த இடமும் திருச்சியே.

மெயின்கார்டு கேட்டில் “சிந்தாமணி சூப்பர் மார்க்கெட் மற்றும் “சாரதாஸ் ஜவுளிக்கடை அல்ல ஜவுளிக்கடல்” போன்ற பிரமாண்டங்கள் நான் முதன்முதலில் ஆச்சரியத்துடன் கண்டதும் திருச்சியே.

கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமாக “mutiplex – பல திரையரங்குகள்” உள்ளடக்கிய வளாகங்கள் உருவாகத்தொடங்கிய காலம் 1984 -90 கள்.

மெயின்கார்ட் கேட்டில் எங்கள் கல்லூரிக்கு அருகில் உள்ள “மாரீஸ் திரையரங்க வளாகம் மற்றும் மத்திய பேருந்து நிலைய அருகில் இருக்கும் “சோனா-மீனா ” திரையரங்க வளாகங்களுக்கு நான் தினசரி வாடிக்கையாளன்.

அது தவிர மெயின்கார்டு கேட்டின் மிகப்பிரச்சித்தி பெற்ற “சிங்காரதோப்பு” சில சூதாட்டங்களை – லவங்க கட்டை உருட்டல், வீடியோ கேம்ஸ், சீட்டு விளையாட்டு” – அறிமுகமாக்கி வெகு காலத்திற்கு என்னை ஆட்கொண்டதும் திருச்சியே.

1984 ஜூலை முதல் அக்டோபர் வரை மூன்று நான்கு மாதங்களோடு திருச்சி என்னை விட்டு விடவில்லை. நான் நவம்பரில் ஈரோடு பொறியியல் கல்லூரியில் சேர்ந்த பிறகும் திருச்சிக்கு வந்து ஊர்சுற்றுவது 1985 இறுதிவரை தொடர்ந்தது.

மத்திய பேருந்து நிலையித்தில் ஒரு சிறிய 3 x 5 சைசில் ஒரு “cloak room – சாமான்கள் வைப்பறை” முழு நேரமும் (24 x 7) இயங்கக்கூடியது என்னுடைய ஆபத்பாந்தவன். திருச்சிக்கே உரிய தனித்துவங்களில் ஒன்று இந்த “சாமான்கள் வைப்பறை – 24 X 7.”

ஒவ்வொரு விடுமுறை முடிந்தும் நீடாமங்கலத்தில் இருந்து ஈரோடு செல்லும் வழியில் இந்த “cloak ரூம்” உதவியுடன் என் ஒரு நாள் பகல் பொழுது கழியும்.

இயக்குனர் வெற்றிமாறன் ஒரு நாளைக்கு 30 – 40 சிகரெட் பிடிக்கும் பழக்கம் உள்ளவராம். வெற்றிகரமான இயக்குனர் ஆவதற்கு முதல் தகுதி குறைந்தபட்சம் பத்து மணி நேரமாவது களத்தில் நிற்கும் உடற்தகுதி அவசியம் என்பதை உணர்ந்த போது புகைபிடிக்கும் பழக்கத்தை நிறுத்தினார்.

அதை நான் எப்படி பார்ப்பேன் என்றால் வெற்றமாறனுக்கு சினிமாவின் மேல் உள்ள போதை அல்லது காதல் புகைபிடிக்கும் போது கிடைக்கும் போதையை விட பன்மடங்கு அதிகம் என்பதை உணர்ந்த தருணம்.

வாழ்க்கையில் வெற்றியடைய ஏதோ ஒன்றில் போதை (காதல்) தேவைப்படுகிறது. போதை என்பதை மையத்தில் இருந்து விலகல் – Eccentricity என்று புரிந்து கொள்ளலாம்.

நீராவி இயந்திரம் தொடங்கி, அச்சு இயந்திரம், வாகனம் என்று தொழில் புரட்சி இந்த மையவிலகல் விதியினாலேயே சாத்தியப்பட்டது.

மையத்தில் இருந்து நேர்மறையாக விலகுவதை காதல் – PASSION என்றும், எதிர்மறையாக விலகுவதை அடிமை – ADDICTION என்றும் நம் சமூகம் சரியாகவோ அல்லது மாறாகவோ வகைப்படுத்தி இருக்கிறது.

அவ்வாறு அறிவின் ( knowledge) மேல் கொண்ட நேர்மறை மையவிலகலால் சூதாட்டம் – gambling என்ற எதிர்மறை விலகலில் இருந்து விடுபட்டோதோடு திருச்சியும் 1988 களுக்கு பிறகு என்னிடம் இருந்து விலகிப்போனது.

இன்று திருச்சிக்கு ஒரு திருமண நிமித்தமாக வரவேண்டி இருந்தது.

என் அனுபவத்தில் நான் கண்டடைந்த ஒன்று: ஒரு ஊரின் தனித்தன்மையை புரிந்துகொள்ள, மற்றும் அந்த ஊரை ரசிக்க வேண்டுமென்றால் அதற்கு சரியான நேரம் மாலை 6 மணி முதல் இரவு 12 மணி வரை மற்றும் காலை 5 மணி முதல் 7 மணி வரை சுற்றி வருவது.

இந்த உலகமயமாக்க யுகத்தில் காலை 8 மணிக்கு மேல் இரவு 7 மணி வரை எல்லா நகரங்களும் ஒரே மாதிரியாக செயல்படும் தன்மையுடன் (same pattern and same nature) மாறிப்போனது.

நகரத்தின் தனித்துவ வெளிப்பாடு நிகழும் தருணம் மாலை 7 மணிக்கு மேல் தொடங்கி காலை 7 மணி வரை.

எனவே நேற்று பல்லவனில் ஏறி இரவு 8.30 க்கு திருச்சி வந்திறங்கி ஹோட்டல் ஆனந்த் வரவேற்பில் அவசரமாக luggage – சுமையை ஒப்படைத்துவிட்டு ஊர் சுற்றக் கிளம்பினேன்.

திருச்சியின் தனித்துவம் என்று நான் நினைப்பது, திருச்சி மதுரையைப் போன்று வீக்கம் அடைந்து கலிஜ் ஆகாமலும், சென்னையைப் போன்று பருத்துப் பெருகாமலும், கோவையப் போல் பணம் கொழிக்கும் மிக முன்னேறிய நகர பொய்த்தோற்றம் கொடுக்காமலும், திருச்சி 1985 களை அப்படியே பிரதிபலித்தது போன்ற – மத்திய பேருந்து நிலைய சுற்றுப்புறம் – ஒரு உணர்வு தந்தது.

அதே கவிதா ஹோட்டல், சங்கீதா ஹோட்டல், இவற்றைச் சுற்றி சென்னைக்கு கூவிக்கூவி அழைக்கும் ஆம்னி பேருந்துகள், மிகப்புகழ் வாய்ந்த பாம்பே லஸ்ஸி மற்றும் பாதாம்பால் கடையைச் சுற்றி ஈக்களைப் போல் மக்கள் கூட்டம், இரவோர தள்ளுவண்டி கடைகள் போன்றவை 1985களைக் கண்முன்னே அப்படியே நிறுத்தியது.

மாலை மெயின்கார்ட் கேட், சிங்காரதோப்பு, பாலக்கரை சர்பத் கடை போய் பார்த்து வந்து பகிர வேண்டும் என்பது திட்டம்.

நன்றி,
ராமு