The rain sizzles on dry earth. The smell zooms me back to the past. Back to quiet, humid and lazy days at home, watching the rain dampen the front porch. The pitter patter that brought out the frogs, making me take a step back in fright. Papers floating away as makeshift boats under the tiny bridges formed by gateways to neighborhood houses.
The milk boiling away on the stove, takes me back to days when my mom or aunt prepared the mandatory afternoon coffee. So much comfort in the simplest memories.
An early morning jog, jogging memories of December in Madras. The sultry mugginess of pre-dawn summers in Chennai, spent watching the sun rise and in watching the artworks of neighborhood ladies.
A sleepless night, looking out of the window, takes me back to chennai powercuts, when the cousins would gather to belt out musical numbers, with scant regard to tone or tune.
Catching a glimpse of the 'goods' train, brings back or rather takes me back to those daily train journeys, with friends and strangers.
An ice-cream cone that always reminds me of movie-watching with dad, waiting for the interval when I would get the softie and then the race to finish it before it started leaking from the bottom.
Interwoven chains, but they don't really take you back. But it would have to suffice.
What are your nostalgic triggers?
