Familiarity...

Is a by-lane in Basavanagudi

and it flows like a silent river touching many many surfaces of hard cushions
like one long white sari
taking its many many colours from activity during the day.

It jogs, emits light, exudes fragrance, dances and performs jigs
bare bodied
under
bare skies

where once there was
a doddaganesha temple, a thindi beedhi,
the perrenial fragrance of camphor and mallige hoovu,
saturday evenings at shanimahatma temple and yellu offerings into the fire,
the church and white candles,
a less visited classroom, unfamiliar lectures, exam tension,

Vidhyarthibhavan, Subbamma stores and chatni pudi,
Pobbathi, saree cheeti, pink frocks, later, 'ready-made' blouses,

a silver activa, a red 'Identity' jacket, dripping rain on the helmet's glass

and some girl,
dreamy eyed,
apprehensive,
going with the flow,
with a prayer,
blindly trusting life's directions,
following the same road back home every single day.

Familiarity...
breeds connect!