The Lion and the Rose

Chapter 1: Ashwika

November 2020

Kousalya supraja Rama poorva sandhya pravarthathe
Uttishta Narasardula karthavyam dhaivamanhikam.

The voice of MS Subulakshmi amma and the sound of prayer bell hits my ears. I try pulling the blanket over my head to continue my beauty sleep but as I pull it upwards, I feel a tug downwards and the blanket is fully yanked away from me. I look up and my mom, Bhagya starts folding the blanket.

Ashwi, thoongunathu poothum ezhuthri

"Ashwi, enough of sleeping, now wake up!" Says mom.

"Ma, 5 more minutes, please, I was having a beautiful dream, I'll complete and wake up fully to get ready. They say early morning dreams come true," I plead with my mom with my signature puppy face.

"Yeah, it's true that early morning dreams come true, but only if it's early in the morning not when it is 8 in the morning," my mom gives me her winning smile.

Enathu 8 mani ah?

"What it's 8 am, already?" I jump out of the bed and run into the bathroom. At an express speed I finish my routine and when I exit the bathroom, my mom has already taken out an outfit for me.

Ayayyo, Ashwi, internship ooda first day ve late ah poona nallava irukuma? seikirm ready yerkanane mani 8:15 agiduchu

(Ohh No, Ashwi, will it be good if you are late on your first day of the internship? Time is already 8:15, let's be quick.)

I think to myself and get ready in fast forward mode and reach the dining table for breakfast. The smell of Appam and Kadala curry makes my belly grumble. I quickly have two numbers of Appam and try to run out of the house when my mom calls me.

Ashwi, Veliya pogum poothu neethila pottu vachitu po nu ethana vaati soldrathu?

"Ashwi, how many times do I need to tell you to keep bindi while going out?"

"Mom, bindi won't go with this outfit ma, I will look like Arukaani in this office attire"

"Smaller size, won't be…"

"Bhagya, let her dress up as she wishes," my dad, Kannan, comes to rescue me.

My mom turns to give him a stern look and I wink at him. Speaking with my mom, my dad signals for me to leave. I wave at him and my younger brother, Vishvesh who is watching everything silently and I slowly walk backwards. I hear the laughter of my dad and brother as I run out of the house.

Crossing two neighborhood houses, I notice my best friend, classmate and intern mate, Sanjay doing Insta Reels. I place my hands on my hips and watch him. Without noticing my arrival, he continues with the reels.

Stove Mela Kadai
Sakatula Sattayi
Vadivelu na Dubai
Kaiya Utta Dabayii

Dei Sanjay, Eppo paaru reels thaana? munnadi tik tok ippo ithu, unaku vera velaye illa.

"Hey, Sanjay, Do you always have to keep doing reels? Those days Tik Tok and nowadays Reels. Don't you have any other work?"

Nee varuva nu wait panitu irukura time la thaan reels panitu iruthen, naan ellam oru kaalathula Tik Tok evlo followers vachitu iruthen theriyumla.

"I was waiting for you, and meanwhile did a reels. Did you know, once upon a time in India, how many followers I had in Tik Tok, good ole days," he says, remembering the days when he was a famous tiktoker.

Ama ama, seri nadaya kattu cab inga varathu namma thaan street junction ku poganum.

In the hope of changing the topic, I drag him out of his house compound, "Ok Ok, let's start walking, the cab won't come to our doorsteps but we need to reach the street junction." But no use, he is not ready to leave the topic.