Of Movies,Pictures and Happiness

Parasakthi was the first movie I went with my neighbour in Srivilliputhur. a middleaged lady ,Ammani. she had nobody to go with to the movies and I was being taken away from the house, justso my mother can look after the younger one.murali mama. he was just 2.I remember the songs of that movie so clearly.Ammani later told Paatti about the weeping session of her daughter(me) during the heroine's struggles and finally I think we had to leave the theater (cinema kottaai). without seeing end.Thatha used to love movies.He will describe all the movies he had gone to ,with lively narration.Movies will take a backseat and the actors and the comedy and settings will be staged in front of our eyes.Paatti was seeing the movies as a fashion statements. she will be interested in the baby stars attires. she will ask the tailor to stitch special frocks for me and Bush shirts for both mamas.I remember almost all the maamis of srivilliputhur stopping to admire our dresses.It is not as if we shall go to al the movies released. According to thatha the movie should impart both enetertainment and message. One of the movies Thatha took us in THIRUMANGALAM was Veerapaandiya Kattabomman. Needless to say that Sivajiganesan was thatha's favourite hero.If Paatti wants to see a movie, and thatha was unable to come with us, he would ask us to go with some of the neighbours.If he feels that some movies are not worth our viewing,thats it !!we cannot go, how much ever we wanted to.I wonder now, whether it will be possible for parents to have so much say in their children's life.We could because Thatha was a person of character and he himself followed his own preachings and advices. The entertainments came in different packages.it maybe a long ride in the bus to pazhanganatham,or a trip to nearby Vaigai dam or going in a simple "kudhirai vandi" ride to Thiruvannamalai near srivilliputhur.Everything will be planned in advance, so things will move smoothly.I treasure these journeys ,just for the fact , they provide me with the complete picture of an honest, down to earth family.A mother and father showed the children ,that happiness was possible within a middle class budget.all it takes is an enthusiastic ,uncorrupted and caring mind.