Welcome to Chennai!

Chennai has taken me by storm. The monsoons have begun. I'm learning how to tear apart chapattis, scrunch rice and sambar (a mix of dal and veggies) into bite-size balls, and eat - all with my right hand - with little trouble. My colleagues at the Asian College of Journalism welcomed me warmly. Have converted to colorful, cotton Salwar Kamize, the pantaloons and long tunics worn as an alternative to saris.With guidance from my new friend, Manjula, I dabbed white ash on my forehead and prayed before Shiva in an ancient temple, where a troupe of girls and young women danced in the mesmerizing, rhythmic Bharata Natyam style. And "thank you" in Tamil is "nanri."

Photos to come. In the meantime, I've filched a couple of images from The Hindu newspaper:

Little boys in Chennai don't dress up like Ninja Turtles. Their muse is Gandhi.    

 The Boardwalkers, including V K Raghunathan   my colleague at the Asian College of Journalism, perform at a Beatles tribute concert in Chennai last Friday. A review noted Raghu's "haunting guitar solo" during the group's rendition of "Something."