A melting pot

The Darshinis in Bangalore contain a mini-world in themselves...

- The ubiquitous state government employees - the 2 by 3 coffee types - all discussions, bribe charges, gossip, transfer rates get discussed.
- The retired couple, whose children are settled abroad, having a "good life", while the parents are left to fend for themselves. You can normally tell them out from the others: they dress and act like they have a chip on their shoulders.
- The lower middle class family; its their "one day out in the month". The kids are excited, and want to have the most exotic dishes on offer. The parents are more subdued; the husband is clearly calculating costs even as he buys "coupons" from the counter.
- The middle class family, clearly tired of home food... its their day out to break the monotony.
- The yuppie gang. You can tell them apart 'cos they act as though English is the only language they know; they probably were born with expertise in that language.
- The neighbourhood "loafers gang" - its their hangout.
- The hardworking (but I can break all traffic rules!) auto driver - thinking about his fare back home; its on the other end of the city.
- The old man, trying to hide in a corner, lest someone he knows recognizes him there; you see, nobody knows he eats out there .
- The lady dressed too hep for the place, and is trying hard to feel out of place, but can't; you see, she likes the food too much.
- The "I am new to the city and studying" boys. I have the most sympathy for these types... I was one of them, sometime ago.
- The "I am new to the city and working" boys. They flaunt their new-found wealth, flashing their newest cellphones and stuff.
- The twenty-something guy who feels the glare inside the eatery is so high that his fake Ray Ban stays on even as he eats. Maybe, he likes his food brown, ... or grey?
- The day-scholar gang of girls, just back from a movie; these are the Scooty, Kinetic Honda types; why'd they want to miss another opportunity to blow their parent's money?
- The most common one: A nuclear family, husband, wife and a small kid. Its weekend and a holiday for the home kitchen!

This is just a sampling... I am sure there are other types?

The Genius!

My introduction to K.S.Narasimhaswamy was when we were in the High School, through a poem in the Kannada text book, titled "BaLegaara Chennaiah". In the poem, a bangle vendor (BaLegaara), Chennaiah, describes, to the husband, the feelings of the wife, who is at her parent's place for the birth of her first child.

About 15 years later, I happened to find the Mysooru Mallige compilation in a music store. That CD has been playing in my car for almost a month to and from work. In some ways I've rediscovered the Genius that is KSN. The hallmark of KSN is his style of illustrating the most simple of human emotions (love), using the most simple words.

Some of the gems in the album include Sirigereya Neerinali, OndiruLu Kanasinali, Rayaru Bandaru Maavana Manege, Akki Aarisuvaaga, Ninnolumeindale, etc.

KSN is no more (he passed away on 28 December, 2003), but his songs are always going to be with us. If you are a fan of Kannada BhaavaGeethe, its time you grab a copy of the compilation. Also, Ranga Shankara occasionally runs a play based on Mysooru Mallige. I missed its run last month, but that is on my list of plays to see.