AM writes to a friend, who says she’s had a quiet Deepavali:

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Quiet would indeed be lovely. Please enjoy these last moments of quiet and make them last for 10 years.

I get an earful of Parva-lay-mathi-klakka-klakka daily, this is Kavya’s new nonsense bhajan. She has figured out how to make Indian sounding words and practices this skill as often as she can, loudly and insistently. Her brother eggs her on in gleeful fits of giggles each time, sending her into a tail spin of loud and braying giggles as well, into which the last two klakka’s are dissolved. The only saving grace is that it is better than her other bhajans which includes, “I love my booty body”, learned from older friends.

Yeah, yeah, It sounds funny and cute now, but after the 100th Parva-lai-mathi-klakka-klakka, associated braying and baby trying to join along in his own capacity, I am seeking to vicariously live those quiet moments.

Today morning’s latest was Pangalaathi-pongalam.

I write this because it sounds more fun with some distance.

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Ooooh…HOW I miss my Boodi and Booda! Here I am with them, preparing to leave them and go off, far away…