Kochi arrival
As I was arriving at the Kochi international airport, I was curious to find out if the six years of convenience in USA had spoiled me and if I would find myself complaining about each and every shortcoming of India - the unruly traffic, the disorganization, the inefficiencies but instead just as I landed, the rhythm of the very earthy grounding song from Kammattipadam started beating so loudly in my heart that I could almost hear it echo through the Kochi airport. I was also apprehensive about whether I would feel out of place as someone coming back after such a long time and potentially not familiar with Kochi as it is now, but the rhythm gave me so much confidence and made me feel so much a part of the place and I felt really really good and I also felt strong admiration for Vinayakan who had crafted such a catchy number. As I walked out into the road from the airport, I first caught sight of my mother and then saw the rest of the family. As I held my daughter in my arms, ...