An ode to Kollu Paati

If you have watched Downton Abbey and admired countess Grantham, then I will describe my Kollu paati as a countess in madisar. My first memory of my kollu paati was when I visited my uncle in his railway quarters in Matunga and I saw a granny like lady coming out of thin air and scaring the shit out of my cousin. And I realized it was a prank and got introduced to the Kollu paati or Shenkottai paati as she was called, because Shenkottai was her town (her adda :).

Chennai - Foodie journal

I had a very beautiful and welcoming image of Chennai until I started living in Chennai. All the dreamy summer vacation days I spent there eating mangoes and yummy bakshanams (snacks). All the weddings and getogethers I would attend to play with my cousins. I think you can relate to the picture I am trying to paint here. But the real nightmare started when I moved to Chennai from Mumbai for work. If you have been to Chennai, you would know that it is not a welcoming place. People there actually have the attitude of a New Yorker that surprised me when i landed there.