The Chennai Story (Part 1)

"I have 2 news for you", told our HR.

"What what what!", we exclaimed.

"You are being released from training on this Monday", she told us.

It was Friday and it was a good news. A reason enough to party.

"The other news is that you are all being sent to Chennai. You have to report in Chennai office on coming Wednesday".

Hearts broke in a second. All party plans got cancelled and preparation to reach Chennai began in a distress. I felt a qualm of destitution, of helplessness but I had no choice. Just as I was getting acquainted to the place, I had to leave Bangalore.

Monday night, I had a bus to Chennai with 6 other friends. It rained that night and the bus was late. I love rains but not when I am carrying 40 Kgs of luggage. On my way, I thought of the picture of Chennai I had in my mind. Men walking on Marina Beach, holding each others' pinky fingers. Girls in salwar kameez ogling mustached men from a distance. Mustached men ogling girls with a fear of getting caught. Tamils hating non-tamils. These all images got me from inside. The excitement of a new place got replaced by the fear of 'aliens'. Somehow I slept in the bus hugging my fears and inhibitions.

We reached Chennai in the morning. The weather was good. Gods of Chennai didn't want us to feel the scorching heat on our first day. With a lot of toil, we got a hotel. Journey till here was easy as a cakewalk. More was yet to come.