Madurai - Part 5 (Final)

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4

When just 1 more week was left in my Madurai stay, I was introduced to a group of 6 girls who were doing BSc Math in Madurai Kamaraj University. They were to help me in my project. The girls looked really quiet when I saw them first which was unbelievable (because NO MADURAI GIRL IS QUIET). And after briefing them what is to be done and what is expected from them I said goodbye to the lot. After half an hour when I came down I saw the whole lot shouting and chatting in front of a channa stall. And then I knew their real color. I pulled their leg and they did the same with me and we boarded the bus talking al the way back home. 

The girls were divided into two groups of 3 each and one group was with me and another with another trainee from Salem. We started to our first two villages Kottimedu followed by Valsai. Those girls made me walk around 5 kms that day. They never bother about the heat or distance or anything, they were fast - really fast and I just loved their accent. It felt really good to hear that accent and words after a long time. We walked inside the sugarcane farm, we saw humming bird nests and we ate lunch sitting in front of someone's huz. We also went to Meenakshi amman temple and learnt many little stories from the girls.

The same continued the next day too. We went to Kovilur and Kottimekkampatti. The main business in there was to make bricks but now as the government had banned taking beach soil, around 700 brick making places were closed and every single men in the village was jobless. There was one main road and two streets arising from the main road and each street is a separate village. We had fruits and lunch and chatted with the local villagers. We also went to nearby farms (coconut, kanagambaram, corn etc ) and slept there on the ground for some time.

After reading the names of various villages you may have a doubt how we chose there. Well initially before the girls came we pre planned and checked Google maps and chose the villages but after the arrival of these girls, we got in the Alanganallur bus and asked the condcutor to give ticket to any village he liked :p It was definitely crazy time with the girls.

After two days with those girls, I just couldn't say goodbye to them so the 3rd day we all went to Vaigai dam, had Kammankoolu with pickle and sat under the mango tree and had fun. I came to know all the college gossips and their complete life history. 

Elami - she was supposed to be born as my younger sister. Miss. Talkative, Miss. Rowdy. She was soo me.

Aruna- The girl who was so conscious about her looks (she was dark and had a complex about it) but very joivial and funny girl.

Abi - the girl who always kept singing "veetukku ponum amma vaiyum". The girl who walked  without slippers and created a very big scene because of it. :p

On the way back (3rd day) I got down on the way (near my huz) before reaching the bus stand (unable to face the goodbye scene). I managed to get hit by a cyclist (cute one) who said me "sorry akka". At that second a realization hit me "oh my god I'm getting older". Then I called those girls and they were so sentimental and pushed me to tears.

My stay didn't last for a week but just 3 days. That night I caught a bus to the Periyar bus stand. In the bus I gave Rs.50 to the conductor. As I had my luggage I thought it would cost around Rs.15 for me and the luggage. But then the conductor said me that he didn't have change and asked me for change. After srearching my bag for a long time I found Rs.5 and I said him that is all I had. He returned me my Rs.50 and gave me a Rs.5 ticket. I said "luggage". He said "ukkaruma". 

Then I reached the bus stand. Walked to the railway station. Waited for the train and got in. After I got the train back to Chennai, I texted them and they made me to promise them that I would never forget them. They were funny sweet loving and extremely friendly. Nobody could say that we knew each other for just 3-4 days. They got a permanent place in my friends list and also in my heart and they did make me feel young :)