The (perhaps) Last Divali 04.11.2010

A Conversation..............
Bono: Obooo..
today I wept a bit in bus
Journey trip today in bus was amazing
and divine
among firecrackers
and fireworks...
Obooo this could be the last Divali I watch with my eyes....
for this term
PhD term

Bono: yes.
All pictures play in my mind Oboo
Even people cooking parotha or peoplle selling flowers
They looked so beautiful tonight
Have been passing the same path for more than at least 2 years
Today they looked wonderful

Obo: it's like everything taking on an unreal beauty when the sun sets.

Bono: Yes obo... yes
in slight moment
it potrayed everything
PM then gone
What do you mean with unreal beauty?

Obo: beauty that is momentary...that appears just at that moment...whe night
falls...when everything turns quiet...

Bono: yes obo.. yes
all faces played in my mind
PM all people I know here
friends, collegeus, people I know
M (Meena), L (Leena), KK (Ilan)
and of course
You
and You and You..
all movies I watched
even that guy I slapped
during Durga pooja
and You, and you and you..
I dont want this to end
Love you Obo

Obo: love you too
ummz

12:02 AM Bono: ummmmmmzz


indeed This is the 25th months of my stay in India. My PhD is nearing to the end and therefore recurrent events. such as festivals, Durga Pooja, Navarathri, Birthdays, Pongal, Onam turn out to be the last thing to celebrate, during my PhD terms of stay in India since 2007.

Tonight in the bus....window was like a wide-screen of a documentary movie.

Mylapore tank, a temple complex with a big pond as its eye-catching landmark. It should be more obvious if the fence were removed. On the north side is the main temple, standing conical. I still remember how I used to be reminded, whenever I pass by this place, Pak Bagoes, article in his book about Alun-Alun concept, a public square which might be derived from this form of tank. Indeed this kind of set, tank, temple, markets and main hub are always find everywhere in places I visit in South India. it is more like signifier of a place centre.

And My bus 29C is always running RK Mutt road where the main spine of Mylapore area laid along which temples sprung in every four-road junctions. Then again it reminds me of the perempatan agung concept in Balinese villages.

And during this Divali, this places are well crowded, more alive, intruded by occasional firecrackers and fireworks. Biriyani shops, small musics shops that I have been only planning to visit and never do so far, food-stalls. They look so different.

Off main RK Mutt road of Mylapore, there is a big compound, Nagarathar, This building or compound is traditionally owned by Chetty Community. they appear as civic compound wherein is some community organization, bank, education centers. Anytime I passed by this compound, again my mind always play a riddle..... of how this Nagarathar and Chetty had anything to do with legend of Nagari and Cati si Bilang Pandai. Indeed Chetty Community is known as smart business society with respect to monetary management. This had been all the feature attached to this descendant of Cati si Bilang Pandai. And Nagarathar itself, whatever relation with the concept of Nagaram/ Nagara, are more as a managing body for a business cycle. Again this reminds me of the market concept attached to Nagari. I have been trying to compile articles about this people.

In Luz Corner "Our Lady of Light", built on 17th century, featuring Portuguese styles and as well reminding me that part of Yogyakarta Palace in java, the stucco facede, Taman sari. Who were they who might have ever written about, any geometrical pattern that may remotely connect churches starting from that place, ending in Santhome Cathedral, along which old churches were laid in a quite an order? of how two main urban pattern of Church and temple was juxtaposed on one spot? Having not yet gone deep in these matters, whenever passing these place, same questions always appear in my mind.

Mylapore has been the main old spine that connect Radhakrishnan road, Nunggabakam to Adyar, where I stay... Beyond this area not very far, is another old quarter, Triplicane near Marina beach. The place once was shocked by Tsunami drifted from Indonesia. That place was still strange for me... But when the bus turned of the RK Mutt road, right yellow pages bustand, I knew, Triplicane laid somewhere beyond that place.


My 29C bus was running very quiet today. Not much passenger. Think they were out there, buying sweets and firecracker. Some passengers I repeatedly notified, two Manipuri girls. One would get down in Savera Hotel bu stand, while other in Luz corner. they are the only ones resembling my face.

This firecracker also interest me much. As I got down the bus, I stumbled a while in front of big firecracker market. Old, young, men, women, children, adults, they crowded firecrackers as if fish mart! Reminds me of how things like these has turned out impossible in Indonesiam since firecracker has been banned. Are we (the Indonesian) exaggerating too much to ban such playful tradition or have not much idea how to control it? Whatever it is... it is still a playful things here, enjoyed by people, especially this Divali, the Festival of Light!

Walking along Gandhi Nagar to my home.....My eyes were attracted by new Indian made small white five seater cars, Tata magic, passing over the road. The new autoshare (Angkot: Indonesia). But it is also consumed for public need, domestic property. So simple, so small. It has simple modular set of open 'pick up' body which allow various modification. Five seater, but it could carry 8 people. Two front and 6 back. Again it makes me wonder, such simple thing.... is it so difficult to be made by Indonesia? Or, we Indonesian always hesitate to by personal car that appear like an autoshare :-)

Tonight they were beautiful..... Passing a Biriyani shop... Big dinner with
Two pack of sweets, all gifts. That Muslim shop keeper had known me very well. As i stepped on the shops, he would as usual nicely greeted me and as if automatic, everyone would be doing things to prepare my Biriyani. As always, i never say anything, just pay. They know what I want :-)

Different night, different feeling....
One sweet night....that Next year, I may not see...

Happy Divali for all