Kathir's Hatred...

Thiruvizha Andru...

It is a hot and sunny day in Kunnakudi and the entire village is decked up for the festivities to take place that day. Music blares loudly from large speakers, men sneak off to drink and play cards, ladies all glowing in their jewelry and pattu sarees discussing about what they are going to purchase from the fair that evening. Children running about screaming and playing, teenage girls all looking lovely in their colorful half sarees all laughing shyly at a group of teenage boys who have come just to look at them...Everywhere there is gaiety and laughter...

Mullai is soaking all this in...it has been almost a year since she came to Kunnakudi and she has missed this place.. The last semester she had stayed back in her relative's house and her parents had come to visit her there...this time she was adamant to come, she had to see Jeeva Maama...she has missed him so much...she is so excited at the thought of seeing him after such a long time...
She begins walking fast, eager to reach her destination..

The entire PS family has gathered in their ancestral home for the celebrations and as usual the house is bustling with activity.

Dhanam is in the kitchen washing vessels...

M: (whispering) Akka Akka...

She has come through the back entrance, she does not want Lakshmi Amma to know that she is here.

D: (very happy to see M) Va Mulla.... Eppadi irruke? Eppo vanthe?

They both begin discussing about her studies, her hostel life and her friends..

M: Seri...Jeeva Maama enga? (very casually)

D: Avanum Kathirum ippo than kelambunaga.

M mindvoice: Yaar ippo Kathira pathi ketta?

D: Rendu mootai arisi konduvare sonnen.....athan poirukkanga. Seri seri...methuva pesu...athaiku kettrura pothu.

After making some small talk Mullai leaves...she plans to go to the market and see if Jeeva is there...

"Hi Mullai"..someone calls her, she turns around to see Kanna there on a cycle riding towards her.

M: Ennathu Mullai ya?

Ka: Unnga peiru athana?

M: Dei naan unnavida periya va da!

Ka: Athukunu Maamen ponnaellam akka nu kupuda mudiyathu..

M: Romba vai neeluthu da unnaku..

Ka: Eppovume appadithan..seri seri enna thaniya vanthurikiga? Koodave oru naalu college figures eh kootitu vanthurukalam la..

M: School padichikittu aasai ya paaru..evalum unna thirumbi kooda paaka mataa.

Ka: Neenga chumma kootitu vanga...mathathe naanga pathupom..

M: Dei enna konjam santhai la vituru da..en friend anga varen nu solluchu.

K: Friendu ponna iruntha varen... Oru intro kudunga..

Mullai whacks him on the head playfully and climbs behind him.

M: Ethachum kurukku pathai la kootitu po da..amma pathara pothu..

K: Seri seri...

They reach the Market, Kanna spots a bunch of his friends and he takes off to join them, Mullai goes in search of Jeeva.. Her friend Anandhi is coming to stay with her for a few days and Mullai is eager to show her around the town.

She turns around a corner looking at her phone and not concentrating on the road...

A loud screech fills the air...

Kathir brakes his bike just in time...

K: (In anger) Ndha Ipadi than roada pakkama varatha?

He then notices that it is Mullai...

K: Neeya? Therinja vishiyam thana...eppovume un thala antha agayathala thana irrukum..

M: Oru varusham kaluchi nethu kalaile than vanthen, athukulla vandi yethi kola pannae pakurigala?

K: Unnaiye yaaru vara sonna? Nee varama Kunnakudiye sezhipairuchu..paathella?

He indicates the surrounding..

M: Overa pesathey Kathiru... Ana onnu...nalla kaalam un ottai vandiley brake vellai senjuchae!

K: En vandi pathhi thappa sollathey!

M: Aama periya vandi...aiyarathi tholaiarathi napathi naalu la senja vandi vechukittu scene podurethe paaru..

K: Pinna, sarraku delivery ku, pulsar vandi ah edduthutu povanga?

M: Seri seri vidu..unkitta pesurathuku ennaku neram illa...

Kathir glares at her and rides away without saying anything...

During their childhood days... Kathir, Jeeva and Mullai were a team..they used to do everything together...climbing trees, fishing, catching frogs, stealing fruits, cooking their own food, and swimming..Mullai was treated as an equal, she was the bravest, always the perpetuater of their adventures. Paarvathy had a tough time with her and would often beg her to act more femine.

Even after the issues between their family, the cousins would get together whenever possible...after a few years Jeeva decided that he was too grown up to hang out with kids and it would be just Kathir and Mullai and sometimes out of pity they would include Kanna. It was Mullai who started distancing herself from Kathir due to her growing attraction towards Jeeva.

And then Kathir finished his 10th exams and started working in the shop and so they drifted apart. It was Mullai who changed a bit and started having an attitude once she went to college. Once when Kathir spoke to her when she was with her friends, he could sense that she was embarrassed by him and that was when Kathir decided that he would not speak with her anymore and she was totally fine with it. He certainly was not going to change for her. After that their meetings always ended up in fights and them exchanging insults all the time, so he always steered clear of her .

To be continued.......