Nostalgia Vacation

 When we were children, our father took us almost every year on a trip to his native village Jayapuram in North Arcot District - Thirupattur. We lived most of our lives in Dubai and we always looked forward to great summer vacation in Chennai.

But My father never missed taking us to Jayapuram. Back home in Dubai, daddy was a home bird. Now, he would plan trips, to his neighbour's homes, his childhood picnic spots, the wells that he jumped in to swim, the family church. and so many other places inside the small maybe 200 families large village.

We were surrounded by excellent people, but it was a primitive home. We had idly and kadalai (peanut) chutney for breakfast, natu kozhi (country chicken) kulambu for lunch and kali and kadalai chutney for dinner. Daddy would relish the food like it was the best in the world.

Daddy would transform into a keen churchgoer in his home church, making sure we are there on time. There would hardly be 10 people in the church mostly from the neighbouring village. But we could see Daddy sing in the church, participate in the reading of the scriptures, and become a keen worshipper.

He would fondly remember his grandfather Chinniah whose name he took after and talk about how his family and another person (who never married) were the only converts to Christianity in the entire village.

I can't speak for Annie Deborah, however, even though I enjoyed most part of the vacation in Chennai. I never liked this trip to daddy's boring village. Nothing happening happened here. I longed to eat food from a multi-cuisine restaurant, sleep with air conditioning and do fun stuff. Accompanying Daddy's walk to nostalgia was not very fun for me. But we did it anyway.

Now the 34 and a half-year-old me became just like daddy. My kids wanted to go to the exciting places in Dubai - the happening towers, and gardens and malls. But I wanted to go to my usuals, and linger around the old boring Dubai. I wanted to eat in our usual places - Pakistani, Keralite and Iranian food places, visit my childhood home, and school, go to all the church services and be around some of the people whom I knew as a child.

I kept looking for the Al shindagha tunnel which was the first manmade wonder in Dubai before all the skyscrapers and manmade islands. It is the only underwater road crossing the Dubai Creek. We had many fun conversations and difficult days as we crossed that road. I was elated beyond measure to find the tunnel and was surprised to read a signboard that said, "Historical Shindaga (namaku avalavu vayasu aayidicha!)

But my children were fascinated by the Infinity bridge that towered above it. But I didn't care. Shindagha tunnel refreshed my heart.

Then I realised that the pleasure of exotic destination tours cannot match the therapeutic effect of nostalgic vacations.

With a changed heart, now, I want to make a trip to Jayapuram.