Mysorean

This was a comment in an article on Mysore by Viky. Everytime I read it, my eyes turn moist. Any true Mysorean will see what I mean.

Thanks Viky and Anu for allowing me to post this here!

Mysore cannot be experienced in holidays or weekends. Like a creeper
growing and encircling the staff, you have to live, and grow with Mysore to
experience it. You have to be with the ajjis who have seen you from the time you
were soooo small, where the maid who works in your house is your family maid,
your ajji had "recruited" her mother.

When you go on an evening walk, and the poojari of the Ram mandir, stops
and chats with you, and moves on saying there is a pooja at 5 next morning,
that's Mysore for you. When you walk a little ahead and the librarian says he
has the latest copy of "Kasturi" or "Mayura", that's Mysore for you. When the
milkman sees you on a walk, and delivers an extra half litre without being
asked, that's Mysore for you.

Mysore is when you board a bus at the bus-stand and conductor-uncle gives
you a ticket without asking. Mysore is when you collect little red 'gulganji'
seeds on your way back home from KukkarahaLLi lake. Mysore is when you come by the Tippu express, and you find someone going in your direction to drop you off.

Mysore is when elephants are marched in from the forests for Dussehra.
Mysore is when you wait for your copy of "Star of Mysore". Mysore is when the
English movies are only at Rajkamal. Or Sterling. Mysore is when you look for
your KEB uncle to book tickets at Woodlands. Mysore is when there are student
body elections in Sarada-Vilas. Mysore is the eternal SJCE-NIE feud. Mysore is
when Jayciana is. Mysore is when you got your project report bound at
Venkateshwara Binders in Saraswatipuram.

Mysore is having grape juice at RTO circle. Mysore is buying vegetables at
Agrahara. Mysore is buying plantain leaves in NanjumaLige, savoring the aroma of
the agarbatti factory behind. Mysore is eating ice-creams at Penguin. Mysore is
eating dosa at Mylari Hotel. Mysore is having biriyani early in the morning,
near Philo's church. Mysore is drinking sugarcane juice near kukkarahaLLI lake.
Mysore is munching corn-on-the-cob in the palace foreground.

Mysore is when I grew up in Mysore. My Mysore.Mysore before GRS, before the
underbridge in front of Saraswatipuram Fire Brigade, before Infosys, before
Ring-Road. Those who grew up in that Mysore, will relate to me more than those
who came to Mysore, for a three-month stint in Infy. Than those, who think
Mysore is a good place to invest. Than those, who think chilling out in Mysore
is just CCD or Pizza Corner. Oh, How they misunderstand my pretty home !!!